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THE 


JEWS  AND  THE  MOSAIC  LAW. 


PART  THE  FIRST: 

CONTAINING 

A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  REVELATION  OF  THE  PENTATEUCH,  AND 
OF  THE  JEWS  FOR  THEIR  ADHERENCE  TO  THE  SAME. 


BY   ISAAC   LEESER, 

READER  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE  JEWISH  CONGREGATION  IN  PHILADELPHIA. 


lbnn  Sk  o^inS  took 

"  I  said  to  those  who  derided,  deride  ye  not ; 
And  to  the  wicked,  raise  ye  not  the  horn." 

Psalm  lxxv.  v.  5. 


PHILADELPHIA:  •• 

PRINTED    FOR    THE    AUTHOR. 

AND   SOLD   BY 

E.    L.    CAREY   &   A.    HART,    PHILADELPHIA;   CAREY,    HART   &   CO.   BALTIMORE  J 

D.  W.  HARRISON,  CHARLESTON,  S.  C.J  E.  BLOCK,  CINCINNATI,  OHIOJ 

AND  MOSES  SARFATY,  KINGSTON,  JAMAICA. 

5594. 


f 


KL 


Entered  according  to  act  of  congress,  in  the  year  1833,  by  Isaac  Leeser,  ii 
the  clerk's  office  of  the  district  for  the  eastern  district  of  Pennsylvania. 


A.  WALDIE,  PRINTER. 


tHitutivn. 


TO   RABBI    B.    S.    COHEN, 

PRINCIPAL  OF  THE  JEWISH  INSTITUTE   AT  MUNSTER  IN  WESTPHALIA. 

Respected  Friend, 

No  apology  will  be  necessary  for  inscribing  this  volume  to  you. 
The  friendship  with  which  you  were  kind  enough  to  regard  me  when 
yet  a  child,  is  sufficient  warrant  for  me  to  hope,  that  a  work  of  maturer 
years  will  not  be  received  with  indifference  by  one,  who,  though  from 
his  varied  learning  well  capable  of  judging,  will  yet  be  indulgent  to 
errors,  and  perhaps  misapprehensions,  almost  inseparable  from  youth- 
ful productions. — It  had  been  my  intention  to  have  dedicated  this  first 
production  of  mine,  to  my  late  venerated  teacher,  Rabbi  Benjamin 
Jacob  Cohen,  your  friend  and  my  benefactor;  but  since  it  was  the 
will  of  our  Father  in  heaven,  to  deprive  me  of  this  excellent  guide 
of  my  infancy,  and  the  world  of  an  active  friend,  and  religion  of  a 
zealous  defender :  I  know  no  one,  to  whom  I  could  with  more  pro- 
priety dedicate  it,  than  to  you.  Perhaps  you  may  find,  that  the 
E  sentiments,  imbibed  in  part  under  your  excellent  instruction,  and 
I  which  were  dear  to  me  when  I  had  the  pleasure  of  daily  enjoying  a 
1  friendly  intercourse  with  you,  are  yet  remembered  and  cherished  by 
me,  at  this  distance  of  time  and  place.  If  so,  you  will  doubtlessly 
be  pleased  at  the  discovery  ;  and  you  may  be  assured,  that  to  receive 
your  approbation  will  be  one  of  the  most  pleasing  fruits,  whjch.I  can 
hope  to  reap  from  my  labours. — Farewell,  dear  friend,,  and  believe 
me,  that  I  find  a  great  degree  of  consolation  in  the  idea,  tnat  •  the  . 
Almighty  has  preserved  you,  whilst  He  has  deprived  me  of  my  first 
teacher  and  friend  ;  and  that  it  shall  ever  be  cause  of  joy  to  be  in- 
formed of  your  welfare  and  prosperity  to 

Your  obliged  servant, 

ISAAC  LEESER. 


rrrr 


5.U.L 


TO  THE  READER. 


This  book,  now  for  the  first  time  published,  was  composed  more 
than  four  years  ago,  whilst  I  was  engaged  in  pursuits  quite  unconge- 
nial to  literature.  Many  a  time,  after  a  day  of  active  application  to 
business,  have  I  spent  the  hours  of  night  in  writing.  Books  for  reference 
I  had  but  few ;  and  the  reader  will  therefore  excuse  the  brevity  with 
which  many  points  are  treated,  which  no  doubt  would  have  received 
more  attention,  could  I  have  had  authorities  to  refer  to.  In  some  re- 
spects this  may  have  been  an  advantage,  as  it  prevented  me  from 
being  too  much  trammeled  by  the  opinions  of  others.  The  reader 
may  be  assured,  however,  that  since  my  residence  in  Philadelphia  I 
have  omitted  no  opportunity  of  correcting  and  altering  many  passages 
which  I  thought  required  it ;  and  even  while  the  work  was  going 
through  the  press  I  have  made  a  great  number  of  additions  and  altera- 
tions, at  times  amounting  to  nearly  an  entire  page.  With  all  this 
care  I  do  not  natter  myself  that  the  book  is  free  from  fault,  nor  can  I 
even  say  that  it  meets  my  own  approbation  in  every  instance;  for 
many  a  sentence  had  to  pass  as  it  stood,  because  I  did  not  discover  its 
defectiveness  till  it  was  too  late.  One  thing,  however,  I  hope,  that 
no  error  in  point  of  fact,  and  no  great  want  of  connection  in  reason- 
ing, will  be  discovered ;  it  least  I  havv.  done  all  I  could  to  avoid  it.  It 
becomes  me  no.,  however,  to  be  too  solicitous  of  engaging  the  favourable 
opinion  of  the  reader :  the  book  itself  is  before  him ;  and  let  him  con- 
demn or  approve,  as  he  may  think  proper  after  mature  reflection.  In 
conclusion,  I  must  remark,  that  vanity  had  but  a  small  share  in  induc- 
ing me  to  make  public  a  book  laying  so  long  dormant ;  the  reasons 
assigned  in  the  preface,  written  at  Richmond  on  the  day  it  is  dated, 
are  yet  operative,  as  no  book  of  the  kind  required  has  made  its  ap- 
pearance since  then.  But  my  own  opinion  of  the  humble  value  of  my 
labours  has  not  been  changed ;  and  I  therefore  insert  the  pre- 
'.ft}C^,:th;oug]i  in  some  respects  it  is  not  quite  as  applicable  as  it  was 
'four  tyeaio/ago.  To  say  that  I  should  nut  be  highly  delighted  if  I 
,  .m^et  with  approbation  and  success,  would  be  the  excess  of  ill  dis- 
,  g'&i$ed<  a^u^ation .  but  I  may  freely  say.  with  justice  to  myself,  that 
a  fair  'criticism,  even  if  it  should  strip  my  work  of  all  value,  will  not 
be  at  all  unwelcome  to  me,  although  mortifying  to  my  self-love;  the 
object  of  my  enquiry  and  of  this  publication  is  the  search  for  and  main- 
tenance of  truth,  but  not  the  acquisition  of  fame ;  ant  as  the  humble 
inquirer  for  truth,  I  dare  not  be  offended  if  I  have  been  found  wanting 
either  in  talent  in  my  search  for  her,  or  in  capacity  whilst  engaged  in 
her  service. 


Philadelphia,  Tishry,  5594. 


PREFACE 


In  presenting  the  following  pages  to  the  consideration  of  the  public, 
I  deem  it  unnecessary  to  inform  them  who  and  what  I  am ;  but,  at  the 
same  time,  I  think  it  incumbent  upon  me  to  disclose  the  motives 
which  induced  me  to  add  another  theological  work  to  the  many  al- 
ready in  existence ;  that  it  may  not  be  supposed  I  undertook  this  dif- 
ficult task  from  the  mere  love  of  writing,  and  of  becoming  an  author. 

Some  time  last  fall  (1828)  a  gentleman  of  this  city  showed  me  an 
article  in  the  London  Quarterly  Review,  in  which  our  nation  (the 
Jews)  were  very  much  abused,  and  their  moral  and  religious  charac- 
ter shamefully  vilified.  Though  I  felt  very  indignant  at  the  time,  I 
deferred  noticing  it  publicly,  until  the  article  in  question  was  repub- 
lished in  a  New  York  paper,  on  the  26th  of  December  last.  I 
then  thought  it  was  high  time  to  notice  it,  as  I  verily  believed  that  its 
circulating  without  a  reply  would  be  extremely  injurious  to  the  inte- 
rest of  my  brethren  in  this  country.  I  therefore  undertook,  without 
being  solicited  by  any  one,  the  task  of  refuting  the  accusations  it  con- 
tained. I  was  at  first  very  doubtful  of  success ;  but  I  had  soon  the 
satisfaction  of  discovering  that  my  feeble  effort  J  had  met  with  favour- 
able notice.  A  few  weeks  after  the  publication  of  the  first  essay,  I  was 
gratified  with  the  mild  and  temperate  piece  which  appeared  under  the 
signature  of  "  A  Professor  of  Christianity."  After  replying  to  him,  I 
understood  that  several  persons  at  a  distance  had  read  and  approved 
of  my  labours.  I  must  confess  that  I  felt  pleased  at  this  mark  of  ap- 
probation from  strangers,  which  I  in  the  first  instance  hardly  expected 
to  receive  from  friends ;  but  since  it  was  so,  I  came  to  a  determination 
to  republish  my  two  essays,  to  rescue  them  from  the  perishable 
state  in  which  they  had  appeared.     It  being  hinted  to  me  by  a  friend* 

*  Mr.  B.  H.  Judah,  late  librarian  of  the  Richmond  Library  Company,  who 
has  died  since  this  book  was  written ;  and  I  have  to  express  here  the  obligation  I 
am  under  to  him,  Mr.  Jacob  Mordecai,  and  Mr.  Abraham  H.  Cohen,  late  Reader 
of  the  Richmond  congregation,  for  many  valuable  suggestions. 


vi  PREFACE. 

that  in  that  case  I  ought  to  add  some  proofs  in  favour  of  our 
observing  the  proper  day  of  the  week  as  the  Sabbath,  I  followed  his 
suggestion,  and  began  immediately  to  embody  my  thoughts  relative 
to  the  truth  of  the  mission  of  Moses ;  and  though  I  intended  to  say 
but  little,  the  subject  grew  by  degrees  under  my  hands,  till  it  assumed 
the  shape  in  which  it  is  presented  to  the  indulgent  reader.  I  had 
scarcely  commenced,  when  I  saw  the  reply  of  the  "Professor  of 
Christianity"  to  my  second  essay,  but  was  prevented  from  answering 
him  then,  on  account  of  the  editors  of  the  Richmond  Whig  (in  which 
paper  these  four  essays  first  appeared)  having  closed  their  columns 
against  the  further  continuation  of  the  controversy.* 

Whatever  opinion  may  be  formed  as  to  the  merits  of  this  my  first 
work,  I  would  beg  my  readers  not  to  pronounce  me  guilty  of  presump- 
tion, in  attempting  to  write  on  so  grave  and  difficult  a  subject,  as 
theology.  My  motives  are  simply  these.  I  have  beheld  with  grief 
and  shame  the  efforts  made  of  late  by  many,  who  dishonour  the  name 
of  Israel,  to  lessen  the  respect  our  nation  has  ever  felt  for  the  law  of 
Moses  and  the  traditions  of  our  ancestors.  I  waited,  but  found  no  one 
in  this  country,  older  than  myself,  attempting  to  enlighten  the  minds 
of  my  brethren  ;  I  could  therefore  no  longer  remain  silent — I  felt  called 
upon  to  act,  and  I  obeyed  the  inward  call,  not  unmindful  of  what 
Hillel  the  ancient  said:  "  And  in  a  place,  where  there  is  no  mah, 
try  even  thyself  to  be  a  man."  (Abothe  II.)  The  infidel,  indeed,  clothed 
in  his  panoply  of  unbelief,  thinks  himself  invulnerable,  he  defies  the 
word  of  God,  and  exultingly  asks  for  proof  of  the  truths  of  revelation. 
But  in  times  of  old  the  Philistian  Goliath  was  conquered  by  David, 
who,  armed  with  a  sling  only,  but  coming  in  the  name  of  the  God  of 
Israel,  threw  the  stone,  which  entered  the  head  of  his  'powerful  and 
armed  antagonist,  who  sunk  before  the  future  king  of  Israel.  Even 
so  have  I  attempted  to  approach  the  armed  infidel;  who  knows,  but 
God  may  effect  some  good  work  through  me,  for  He  is  ever  powerful 
to  assist  them,  who  rely  upon  Him  in  truth  and  sincerity. — I  dare  not 
even  flatter  myself  with  the  hope  of  success  ;  but  if  I  fail,  I  may  con- 

*  I  must  once  for  all  acknowledge  the  liberality  of  Mr.  John  H.  Pleasants, 
the  senior  editor  of  the  Whig,  who  so  kindly  offered  to  publish  my  essays ;  and 
I  seize  with  unfeigned  pleasure  the  present  opportunity  (the  first  that  has  offer- 
ed)  of  returning  him  thus  publicly  my  heart-felt  thanks  for  the  handsome  man- 
ner in  which  he  drew  public  attention  to  my  first  essay.  I  also  think  it  an 
act  of  justice  to  mention,  that  I  believe  him  to  have  been  actuated  by  the  best 
motives  in  discontinuing  the  controversy. 


PREFACE.  vii 

sole  myself  with  the  idea,  that  I  have  been  defeated  in  a  good  cause  ; 
this  disappointment  even  may  stimulate  me  to  make  a  second  attempt, 
when  I  shall  endeavour  to  avoid  those  faults  which  caused  my  failure 
in  this  first  undertaking. 

The  liberal  Christians  (and  to  those  alone  I  address  myself)  will 
easily  discover,  that  the  little  I  have  said  in  relation  to  Christianity, 
was  indispensably  necessary  to  my  plan.  They  moreover  cannot  be 
offended,  at  a  liberal  and  candid  view  being  taken  of  their  belief  by  a 
Jew ;  for  if  he  is  wrong,  they  can  easily  reply  to  him ;  and  I  will  just 
remark,  that  any  strictures  or  hints,  in  relation  to  this  book,  shall  be 
thankfully  received  by  me,  provided  they  be  made  in  the  spirit  of 
candour  and  conciliation. 

The  body  of  the  arguments,  as  far  as  the  plan  of  arranging  them 
is  concerned,  is  altogether  mine,  as  are  also  many  of  the  arguments 
themselves.  I  will  not  assert,  that  the  same  have  not  been  used 
before ;  but  I  may  say  with  truth,  that  I  have  not  intentionally  bor- 
rowed from  others.  I  consulted  no  books,  besides  those  mentioned  in 
the  text,  and  even  those  I  had  not  always  before  me ;  but  quoted 
perhaps  as  often  from  memory,  as  from  actual  inspection.  Be  that  as 
it  may,  I  can  assure  the  public  that  I  have  advanced  neither  argument 
nor  assertion,  which  I  did  not  subject  to  frequent  examinations,  and 
have  asserted  nothing  which  I  in  conscience  did  not  believe  founded 
in  fact  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.  It  would  be  the  height  of  pre- 
sumption in  me  to  say,  that  I  have  made  no  mistake,  for  that  only  can 
be  the  case  with  inspired  writers ;  and  if  I  err  not  altogether,  I  do  not 
remember  to  have  read  any  book  from  a  profane  writer,  where  some 
error  or  other  had  not  been  committed.  Should  I  have  the  good  for- 
tune, however,  to  see  a  second  edition  of  this  work  called  for,  I  will 
make  those  corrections  and  alterations,  which  may  have  been  dis- 
covered to  be  necessary. 

In  some  places  I  have  followed  the  English  version  of  the  Bible, 
in  others  again  I  have  attempted  to  translate  the  original  myself ; 
either  because  I  did  not  consult  the  English  at  all,  or  because  the 
common  translation  seemed  to  me  incorrect. 

No  man  can  be  more  aware  of  the  difficulty  of  doing  justice  to  the 
subject  under  discussion,  than  myself;  yet  this  did  not  deter  me  from 
the  attempt,  it  rather  stimulated  me  the  more;  first  because  I  never 
saw  a  book  in  the  English  language  written  by  a  Jew,  that  treated  of 
the  evidences  of  his  religion,  if  perhaps  we  except  David  Levy's 
answer  to  Thomas  Paine,  and  Rabbi  de  Cordova's  little  book,  Reason 
and  Faith :  and  therefore  I  resolved  to  write,  with  the  hope  that  some 


viii  PREFACE. 

person  more  capable  than  myself,  might  undertake  to  discuss  the  sub- 
ject, as  its  importance  deserves,  and  follow  up  with  more  success,  my 
humble  beginning. — And  secondly,  having  been  taught  by  men  dis- 
tinguished for  learning  and  piety,  I  thought  that  perhaps  the  instruc- 
tion I  had  received  from  them  might  be  made  as  beneficial  to  others 
as  it  had  been  to  me. 

These  are  the  reasons  and  motives,  which  governed  me  in  writing; 
but  neither  fame  nor  emolument  was  my  object ;  for  how  can  any  man 
gain  either  by  appearing  as  the  champion  of  the  hated  and  persecuted 
Jews  ?  I  was  not  however  deterred  from  doing,  what  I  conceived  to 
be  my  duty,  by  the  fear  of  ridicule  or  hatred ;  and  I  believe  it  to  be 
obligatory  upon  every  Jew,  to  defend  his  principles  and  religion 
from  the  obloquy  generally  cast  upon  them,  at  whatever  hazard  to 
himself.  I  must  therefore  entreat  every  liberal  Christian,  deist  or 
Jew,  to  read  what  I  have  written  in  favour  of  our  laws  and  ceremonies, 
and  not  condemn  them  before  he  knows  some  of  the  reasons  which 
can  be  urged  in  their  favour  even  by  so  obscure  an  individual  as 
myself. 

If  I  have  succeeded  in  establishing  the  truth  of  our  faith,  let  not  the 
honour  be  ascribed  to  me,  but  to  the  excellence  of  that  law,  which 
can  be  defended  so  easily  and  with  so  little  information,  as  I  possess ; 
but  if  I  have  failed,  let  not  our  law  be  rejected  on  that  account,  for 
though  I  could  not  do  it  justice,  there  are  many  amongst  the  descend- 
ants of  the  patriarchs,  who  are  every  way  much  better  qualified  to 
do  so  than 

THE  AUTHOR. 

Richmond,   Va.  Sivan  9th,  (June  10th,)  5589. 


CONTENTS 


PART  I. 

PAGE 

Chapter  I. — Conscience  and  Revelation 2 

II. — Who  wrote  the  Pentateuch 9 

III. — Moses  an  authentic  historian 15 

IV.— The  Pentateuch 21 

V. — The  History  of  Revelation — Adam — Noah  .  .  .26 
VI.— The  History  of  Revelation— Abraham  ...        32 

VII.— The  History  of  Revelation— Isaac  ....    36 

VIII.— The  History  of  Revelation— Jacob    ....        38 

IX. — The  Legation  of  Moses  .  44 

X.— The  Exodus  .  50 

XI — The  Israelites  and  Revelation 54 

XII. — The  Descent  on  Sinai 57 

XIII.— The  Decalogue     ........    65 

XIV. — The  Jewish  Commonwealth 74 

XV.— The  Bible  and  Paganism 82 

XVI.— The  Phylacteries 93 

XVII.— The  Festivals 98 

XVIII.— The  Sacrifices 106 

XIX— The  Forbidden  Meats 117 

XX.— The  Golden  Calf 125 

XXI. — Inspiration  and  Prophecy 135 

XXII.— Fulfilment  of  Prophecy 149 

XXIII.— The  Religion  of  the  Bible 156 

XXIV.— The  Hebrew  Worship 172 

XXV.— The  Fasts  and  Ceremonies 182 

XXVI.  The  Law  and  the  Rabbins 190 

Appendix 200 

PART    II. 

Introduction 211 

Essay  I .  225 

II .244 

III. 248 

IV 262 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Those  persons  desirous  of  possessing  the  "  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Reli- 
gion," translated  from  the  German  of  Johlson,  of  Frankford  on  Maine,  by  the 
author  of  this  book,  will  please  to  make  early  application  to  any  of  the  agents 
for  selling  this  book,  or  to  the  author  himself,  as  but  a  small  number  of  copies 
are  yet  unsold. 

The  author  has  been  advised  by  several  friends  to  print  the  discourses  deli- 
vered by  him  on  various  occasions,  either  in  book  or  pamphlet  form,  which 
latter  mode,  it  is  asserted,  would  give  them  a  greater  circulation.  He  has  no 
objection  whatever  to  make  any  of  his  writings  public,  if  they  are  deemed  of 
any  service ;  but  the  encouragement  hitherto  extended  to  him,  both  in  the  sale 
of  the  first  and  subscriptions  to  the  present  work,  does  not  authorise  him  to 
undertake  a  new  book,  especially  in  parts,  as  the  trouble  and  expense  attending 
a  distribution  in  this  way  would  evidently  be  very  great.  He  therefore  takes 
this  method  to  announce  to  the  friends  of  our  religion,  that,  if  they  think  his 
discourses  of  sufficient  value  to  wish  them  published,  they  will  be  kind  enough 
to  communicate  their  willingness  to  encourage  the  undertaking,  to  Messrs. 
Carey  &  Hart,  J.  L.  Hackcnburg,  or  the  author,  Philadelphia;  the  Rev. 
Isaac  B.  Seixas,  New  York  ;  Mr.  Zalma  Rehine,  Baltimore  ;  Mr.  Jacob  Morde- 
cai,  Richmond ;  Dr.  Jacob  de  la  Motta,  and  Mr.  Nathan  Hart,  Charleston  ;  Mr. 
Jacob  de  la  Motta,  Savannah ;  Mr.  Eleazer  Block,  Cincinnati ;  and  Mr.  Moses 
Sarfaty,  Kingston,  Jamaica ;  or  to  any  of  the  author's  friends,  who  are  requested 
to  communicate  to  him,  as  soon  as  convenient,  their  success  or  failure.  Those 
willing  to  subscribe  will  please  to  stale  how  many  copies  they  wish  to  take,  and 
whether  they  wish  the  work  in  monthly  parts,  or  in  one  or  two  volumes,  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  printed  pages  it  may  make.  He  cannot  yet  state  the  price 
which  he  will  charge  ;  but  the  public  may  rest  assured  that  he  will  ask  as 
moderately  as  possible ;  and  he  trusts  that  the  two  books  which  have  been  pub- 
lished already  are  sufficient  evidence  that  he  does  not  wish  to  make  any  undue 
profit  by  his  writings.  In  conclusion,  he  must  state,  that  he  will  not  think 
himself  bound  to  publish  the  aforesaid  discourses,  if  the  encouragement  is  not 
sufficient  to  secure  him  from  loss;  and  that  he  will  be  determined  about  the 
mode  of  publication  as  circumstances  may  hereafter  direct. 


THE 


JEWS    AND   THE   MOSAIC    LAW 


PART    I 


O  Lord  of  the  universe  !  who  endurest  for  ever,  we  adore  Thee ; 
for  Thou  art  the  Creator  of  all  nature,  from  Thee  all,  that  is,  derives 
its  existence,  and  Thou  hast  the  power  to  do  with  this,  thy  creation, 
as  Thou  pleasest.  Thou  changest  the  order  of  nature,  as  Thou  de- 
sirest,  without  deranging  its  harmony  ;  for  Thou,  nature's  architect, 
knowest  the  secret  springs  of  all  existence.  All  is  sustained  solely 
by  thy  will ;  and  if  Thou  but  speakest,  all  must  be  annihilated. — O 
Fountain  of  eternal  life !  who  didst  choose  our  forefathers  to  be  thy 
people,  have  mercy  upon  us  their  descendants,  though  fallen  and 
degraded  through  our  sins ;  let  thy  wisdom  enlighten  our  minds,  that 
we  may  understand  the  ways  of  thy  law;  that  we  may  live  according 
to  thy  commandments,  and  be  worthy  of  thy  love  and  protection ! 
Hasten  Thou  also  the  time  of  our  redemption  through  thy  anointed, 
and  show  again,  as  thou  hast  promised,  that  thou  art  the  God  and 
Redeemer  of  Israel,  when  Thou  displayest  for  a  second  time  over 
us  thy  protecting  arm,  before  the  eyes  of  all  nations.  Amen. 
1 


CHAPTER  I. 


CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION. 


In  proving  the  truth  of  Judaism,  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  the 
laws  and  ordinances  contained  in  the  Mosaic  writings,  and  the 
books  of  the  prophets  who  were  the  successors  of  Moses,  it  is  neces- 
sary, first,  to  prove  the  truth  of  Revelation  in  general,  and  next, 
that  what  is  commonly  called  the  Old  Testament,  can  be  true,  with- 
out at  the  same  time  admitting  the  authority  of  the  gospels  and 
epistles  of  that  book,  known  as  the  New  Testament. 

Let  us  then  enquire : — 

"  Is  it  rational  to  believe  that  the  Almighty  revealed  himself  to  the 
children  of  Israel,  as  related  by  Moses ;  and  is  this  assertion  of  the 
Jewish  legislator  borne  out  by  historical  facts  V* 

The  greater  number  of  thinking  men  of  our  own  days  and  of  past 
times  agree  in  asserting,  that  a  revelation,  so  called,  does  really 
exist ;  but  they  differ  very  widely  as  to  the  nature  of  this  revela- 
tion. The  notion  of  the  heathens,  that  the  gods  lived  in  familiar 
intercourse  with  men,  and  taught  them  the  necessary  mode  of  wor- 
ship, has  long  since  been  given  up  by  a  great  number  of  nations, 
who  have  adopted,  in  the  place  of  heathen  mythology,  the  tenets  of 
the  Koran  or  the  Gospels ;  but  immense  bodies  of  men,  and  who  are 
far  more  numerous  than  Christians  or  Mahomedans,  yet  believe  in 
the  just  mentioned  theory  of  revelation. — Another  set  of  men, 
amongst  whom  the  Jews  stand  pre-eminent,  believe,  that  the  Al- 
mighty, Eternal,  and  Only  God  made  his  will  known  to  men,  singu- 
larly pious  and  resigned  to  his  will,  and  sent  them  as  messengers  to 
the  rest  of  the  world,  to  make  known  certain  laws  and  regulations 
by  which  mankind  should  be  governed  ;  and  to  this  idea  the  Christians 
and  Mahomedans  also  adhere. — But  there  are  some  men  who  sup- 
pose that  no  suck  revelation  was  ever  made ;  that  is  to  say,  that 
God  never  spoke  to  any  man ;  but  that  He  has  revealed  himself,  that 
i$,  has  made  himself  known,  through  his  creation,  and  has  at  the 


CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION.  3 

same  time  implanted  within  the  bosom  of  every  individual  of  the 
human  family  a  certain  and  infallible  guide  to  righteousness,  which, 
when  attentively  listened  to,  will  invariably  lead  a  man  in  the  path 
of  right  and  justice. — The  notions  of  the  Pagans  it  is  useless 
to  examine  here,  as  there  are  none  amongst  us  who  profess  them ; 
and  then  again,  their  nothingness  must  be  admitted,  if  any  one 
of  the  other  two  systems  can  be  established  as  the  correct  one. 
And  as  those,  who  acknowledge  only  what  they  call  the  inward  re- 
velation, deny  the  necessity  even  of  any  other,  it  remains  to  be  exa- 
mined if  there  be  actually  such  a  thing  as  the  infallible  voice  with- 
in, or,  as  it  is  commonly  styled,  conscience.  If  it  should,  therefore, 
be  found,  that  conscience,  properly  so  called,  does  not  exist,  or  is  in- 
adequate to  effect  the  purpose  of  a  general  revelation,  that  is,  to 
teach  every  body  under  every  circumstance  the  same :  it  must  fol- 
low that  conscience,  or  the  inward  monitor,  cannot  be  the  sole  reve- 
lation ;  as,  in  that  case,  no  universal  standard,  unvaried  and  infallible, 
of  right,  could  be  in  existence ;  we  should  therefore  be  obliged  to 
arrive  at  the  conclusion,  that  there  must  be  somewhere  an  outward 
revelation,  or,  in  other  words,  a  promulgated  law,  which  must  be 
the  universal  standard  of  right ;  and  it  would  next  be  our  business 
to  seek,  where  this  outward  revelation,  this  promulgated  law  of  God, 
could  be  found. — Since,  however,  it  is  very  often  asserted,  that  man 
can  arrive  at  a  knowledge  of  right  of  his  own  accord,  we  will  briefly 
examine  if  this  can  be  true,  or  if  there  be  not  some  facts  which 
clearly  prove  the  contrary.  Suppose  that  conscience  were  a  proper 
teacher,  and  would  always  punish  with  inward  remorse  every  aber- 
ration from  the  path  of  right :  we  might  then  place  an  implicit  reli- 
ance upon  it,  and  thus  our  own  unassisted  reason  would  be  the  only 
revelation  necessary.  But  is  it  true  that  all  men,  when  left  to 
themselves,  will  think  alike  ?  Whence,  then,  the  horrible  modes  of 
idolatry,  which  shock  us  so  much  in  ancient,  and  even  in  modern, 
history  ?  But  grant  even,  that  superstition  may  be  made  an  engine 
in  the  hands  of  designing  and  interested  men,  to  induce  their  fellow- 
men  to  disregard  the  voice  of  conscience,  and  follow  the  mad  inven- 
tions of  others ;  yet  what  can  be  urged  in  favour  of  inward  revela- 
tion, when  we  find  whole  nations  addicted  to  certain  actions,  which 
are  condemned  as  unjust  by  others?  It  is  well  known  that  an 
ancient  Greek  legislator  thought  parricide  such  a  monstrous  crime, 


4  CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION. 

that  he  did  not  even  specify  the  punishment,  believing  that  no 
human  being  could  ever  be  guilty  of  a  crime  so  heinous  and  unnatu- 
ral. But,  for  all  that,  we  find  that  a  certain  American  nation  do  not 
regard  the  killing  of  their  aged  parents  in  this  light;  for  when  a  man  is 
grown  too  old,  according  to  their  notions,  that  is,  as  soon  as  he  has 
become  unable  to  shift  for  himself,  a  grave  is  dug,  into  which  he  is 
compelled  to  descend,  and  is  then  strangled  or  tomahawked  by  the 
young  men,  who  do  this  atrocious  deed  with  the  utmost  unconcern, 
and  even  think  they  do  him  a  service. — The  free-thinkers  also  say, 
that  incest  is  so  contrary  to  the  well-being  of  society,  that  it  would 
not  be  permitted,  although  there  were  no  prohibition  against  it  to 
be  found  in  the  Bible.  But  even  this  is  not  true ;  for  the  Grecians, 
Persians,  and  Egyptians,  the  most  refined  nations  of  antiquity,  mar- 
ried their  sisters,  or  other  near  relations ;  and  amongst  the  Lacedae- 
monians it  often  happened  that  the  same  woman  was  the  wife  of  two 
men.*  Amongst  the  Romans,  also,  incest  was  not  very  rare. — 
Most  savage  nations  are  addicted  to  stealing ;  and  the  Arabians  of 
the  present  day  will  rob  you,  and  entertain  you  very  hospitably, 
after  having  emptied  your  pockets.  They  very  often  accost  a  tra- 
veller with — "  Thy  brother  is  hungry,  thy  sister  is  naked,  and  as 

*  Schiller, — the  celebrated  German  poet  and  historian,  and  who  was  a  liberal 
deist,  that  is  to  say,  he  believed  in  the  truth  of  the  Mosaic  history,  and  applaud- 
ed the  beauty  of  the  Mosaic  code,  without  believing  in  a  direct  revelation  from 
God  to  man, — thus  speaks  of  the  laws  of  Lycurgus,  in  his  treatise  entitled, 
"  The  Legislation  of  Lycurgus  and  Solon." 

"  From  the  married  state  itself  all  jealousy  was  banished.  Every  thing,  even 
(female)  modesty,  the  Legislator  (Lycurgus)  rendered  subordinate  to  his  chief 
design.     He  sacrificed  female  fidelity,  to  obtain  healthy  children  for  the  state." 

'*As  soon  as  the  child  was  born,  it  belonged  to  the  state.  Father  and  mother 
had  lost  it.  The  elders  (of  the  people)  inspected  it;  if  it  was  strong  and 
well  built,  it  was  given  over  to  a  nurse ;  but  if  it  appeared  weak  and  badly 
shapen,  it  was  thrown  into  a  deep  pit  near  Mount  Taygetus."  See  Schillet's 
Works,  Stutgard  edition,  vol.  xvi.  page  101. 

I  would  hardly  have  dared  to  shock  the  finer  feelings  of  my  readers  with  the 
above  extracts,  which  are  almost  too  immodest  for  transcribing,  were  it  not  that 
Borne  deniers  of  revelation  had  dared  to  place  the  Lycurgian  laws  in  compari- 
son with  the  Mosaic  code,  the  spirit  of  uncleanliness  and  barbarity  with  the 
essence  of  chastity  and  benevolence.  The  subject  deserves  a  much  more  ex- 
tended notice  than  can  be  taken  of  it  here ;  but  it  is  likely,  that  at  some  future 
time  I  may  recur  to  it,  when  a  more  fitting  opportunity  offers. 


CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION.  5 

thou  hast  food  and  clothing  to  spare,  it  is  but  right,  that  thou  shouldst 
give  us,  what  we  want."  It  is  true,  they  return  you  enough  to  de- 
fray the  expenses  of  travelling;  but  they  are  very  careful  to  take 
first,  whatever  suits  them. 

The  foregoing  instances  are  undoubted  facts,  and  they  must  go  a 
great  way  to  prove,  that  one  set  of  men  almost  invariably  thinks 
that  right,  which  the  other  thinks  wrong  and  criminal.  Civilised 
nations  of  modern  times  detest  theft,  murder  and  incest,  and  believe 
them  to  be  dangerous  to  the  public  welfare  ;  whilst  barbarous  people 
commit  these  things  without  ever  once  dreaming,  that  they  are 
doing  wrong:  nay  even  civilised  nations  of  antiquity  were  not 
altogether  exempt  from  some  of  these  crimes  at  least.  The  unen- 
lightened part  of  mankind  of  our  own  times  have  hardly  any  idea 
of  what  is,  amongst  Europeans  and  Americans,  considered  right  and 
wrong :  they  frequently  are  generous,  brave  and  hospitable ;  but  we 
seldom  or  never  find  them  possessed  of  those  noble  qualities  of  the 
soul,  that  nice  sense  of  duty,  which  animate  those  who  have  drunk 
of  the  refreshing  fountain  of  revelation. — But  to  return  to  our 
proposition :  will  it  be  said  that  the  Hindoo  believes  himself  impelled 
by  consie?ice,  to  sacrifice  himself  to  his  idol,  the  Juggernaut ;  or  that 
he  does  think  it  wrong,  uninformed  as  he  is  ?  Does  the  conscience  of 
the  European  permit  him  to  commit  suicide,  or  not?  Does  the 
ignorant  Arab  think,  that  he  commits  any  crime  by  robbing  the 
wayfaring  traveller  ?  And  did  the  Spartan  woman  suppose  herself 
guilty  of  any  sin  by  adultery? 

The  greater  number  of  my  readers,  whatever  their  opinion  rela- 
tive to  revelation  may  be,  will  agree  with  me  in  asserting,  that  it 
is  the  greatest  sin  to  sacrifice  ourselves  or  any  other  person  to  an 
idol ;  that  suicide  can  hardly  be  defended  by  those  even,  who  deny  a 
future  state ;  and  1  am  sure,  that  there  are  not  many  honest  men  in 
civilised  society,  who  would  defend  robbery  with  the  same  reasons 
the  Beduin  gives  for  his  depredations. — We  have  thus  seen,  con- 
science allowing  theft  to  the  Arab,  and  self-destruction  to  the  ignorant 
Hindoo  and  the  desperate  European,  when  he  has  lost  Ws  all,  or 
ruined  his  neighbour ;  but  that  to  the  generality  of  mankind  con- 
science forbids  theft  and  the  destruction  of  one's  own  life  or  that  of 
another.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  conscience  of  one  man  justifies 
what  another's  very  justly  condemns.     Can  it  then  be  said,  that  we 


6  CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION. 

may  without  fear  give  ourselves  up  to  the  guidance  of  our  own 
reason  (conscience),  unassisted  by  the  word,  the  written  word  of 
God,  and  do,  what  we  of  our  own  accord  deem  to  be  right  ?  Will 
the  philosophers  allow  every  man  to  do  what  he  likes  ?  O  no* — they 
will  say  :  "  That  action  will  endanger  your  neighbour's  safety,  and 
this  will  be  disagreeable  to  the  majority  of  the  people."  This  is  all 
very  well,  but  what  can  they  say  against  incest,  suicide  and  gambling, 
where  one  or  more  men  injure  themselves  alone,  without  harming 
any  one,  except  he  be  a  party  or  accessary  to  their  deeds  by  his 
own  accord  ?  If  I  have  a  large  sum  of  money,  and  another  man 
chooses  to  stake  an  equal  sum  against  me,  what  right,  it  may  be 
asked,  have  these  philosophers  to  forbid  his  doing  so?  Does  he,  or 
does  he  not,  injure  society  at  large,  if  he  loses  ?  His  conscience 
does  not  forbid  it ;  he  says,  "  My  own  reason  tells  me,  it  is  perfectly 
right,  that  I,  knowing  what  I  am  about,  may  lose  all  I  possess,  if  it 
pleases  my  fancy."  This,  it  must  be  obvious,  is  a  fair  defence  of 
gaming  with  those,  who  acknowledge  no  other  monitor,  than  that 
still  voice  within  us,  called  conscience;  but  notwithstanding  this, 
none  is  more  loud  in  condemning  this  really  detestable  vice,  than 
the  philosopher,  who  denies  all  revelation.  But  does  not  any  re- 
straint, laid  upon  a  man  in  this  respect,  limit  the  observance  of  what 
the  dictates  of  his  conscience  or  reason  allow  him  to  do?  So  then 
we  find,  that  not  even  freethinkers  can  allow  us  to  be  guided  in  all 
concerns  of  life  by  the  dictates  of  our  own  reason  alone.  But  we 
hear  them  say :  "  Since  every  man  is  not  endowed  with  the  same 
reasoning  powers,  and  since  all  are  not  equally  virtuous,  not  every 
man  should  be  allowed  to  follow  the  bent  of  his  own  inclination,  since 
this  would  be  injurious  to  society ;  but  he  is  to  submit  to  those 
rules  and  regulations,  which  wiser  and  better  men,  than  himself,  have 
prescribed  to  him." — But  is  this  fair?     From  what  source  does  the 

*  Even  a  Draco,  who  punished  small  and  great  crimes  equally  with  death, 
because  the  smallest  sin  deserved  death,  and  for  greater  ones  he  could  find  no 
severer  punishment — even  he  made  his  laws,  at  least  in  letter  "  unchangeable 
laws." — Schiller's  Works,  vol.  xvi.  p.  122. 

And  the  French  revolutionary  legislature  solemnly  decreed  there  was  no  God, 
and  introduced  an  actress  and  worshipped  her  as  the  goddess  of  reason !  and 
besides  they  tortured  and  butchered  the  catholic  clergy  for  non-conformity  to 
revolutionary  laws. 


CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION.  7 

philosopher  derive  the  right  to  dictate  laws  to  mankind  from  his 
study  1  How  can  he  convince  every  one,  that  he  is  in  possession  of 
more  wisdom  and  virtue  than  every  other  human  being  1  How  then 
dares  he  to  appropriate  to  himself  the  privilege  of  thinking  for  so 
many  of  his  fellow-mortals  1 — Now  grant  for  argument's  sake,  that 
his  superior  wisdom  and  virtue,  which  are  universally  acknowledged, 
entitle  him  to  this  pre-eminence  by  the  common  consent  of  his  con- 
temporaries. But  we  ask,  whence  proceeds  his  wisdom  ?  Has  he 
obtained  it  by  intuition  1  Is  his  knowledge  derived  from  himself,  or 
from  some  superior  Being?  Do  his  superior  endowments  make  him 
more  than  man  1  do  they  render  him  immortal  ?  do  they  make  him 
infallible  ?  Is  he  no  longer  liable  to  err  because  he  is  wise,  because 
he  is  learned  ?  Is  his  virtue  of  that  kind,  that  it  never  yields  to 
temptation  1  In  short,  can  he  cease  to  be  man  ?  No — he  is  still  a 
mortal,  prone  to  err,  and  he  must  at  length  descend  to  the  grave,  and 
there  his  body,  as  well  as  the  remains  of  the  most  ignorant  of  men, 
will  become  a  prey  to  worms. — Shall  we  then  rely  for  our  moral 
instruction  upon  a  man — one  destined  to  die — one,  who  cannot  change 
even  the  smallest  particle  of  nature — one,  who,  no  less  than  the  hum- 
blest of  mortals,  must  look  with  astonishment  at  the  great  works  of 
the  great  Creator  ?  From  this  great  Creator  the  wisdom  of  the 
philosopher  is  derived ;  it  is  He,  who  favoured  him  with  more  know- 
ledge, than  other  men,  and  to  Him  his  spirit  must  return,  when  his 
body  is  laid  to  moulder  in  the  grave.  Shall  it  now  be  said,  that  we 
are  to  listen  to  the  instructions  of  the  creature,  but  disregard 
those  of  the  Creator?  Or  can  it  be  supposed,  that  the  almighty 
Author  of  all  could  not  make  as  good  laws  for  the  government  of 
mankind,  as  the  man,  to  whom  He  has  imparted  but  a  small  share 
of  knowledge  1  Shall  we  shut  out  the  light  of  the  sun,  because  a 
taper  also  can  give  light  ? 

But,  ask  our  opponents:  "Is  it  rational  to  suppose,  that  the 
Creator  did  promulgate  his  laws  ?"  Yes,  and  we  may  be  bold  to  say, 
that  the  contrary  opinion  must  of  necessity  be  absurd ;  as  from  the 
preceding  remarks  it  will  be  apparent,  that  our  own  reason  is  not 
sufficient  to  show  us  the  path  of  right ;  for  that  what  is  called  con- 
science does  not,  cannot,  influence  all  alike,  and  consequently  cannot 
be  the  universal  standard  of  right,  since  it  leads  different  persons  to 
different  conclusions.     This  being  admitted,  (and  the  experience  of 


£  CONSCIENCE  AND  REVELATION. 

every  man  will  prove  it  so,)  it  must  follow,  that  unless  there  be  a 
revelation,  that  is  to  say,  a  declared  and  known  law  proceeding 
from  God,  the  world  is  left  without  the  knowledge  of  right  and  wrong ; 
and  thus  the  deniers  of  revelation  must  accuse  the  Deity  of  the 
greatest  injustice,  in  creating  so  many  beings,  endowed  with  reason, 
and  leaving  them  to  proceed  without  a  rule  or  guide,  like  a  ship, 
tossed  upon  the  billows  of  the  tempestuous  ocean,  without  rudder  or 
compass  !* — Let  us  then  ask  every  thinking  man,  what  is  most  rea- 
sonable to  believe — that  God  made  his  will  known  to  mankind,  that 


*  Since,  if  you  break  down  the  moral  influence  of  enacted  laws  in  a  community, 
mere  brute  force  will  never  be  able  to  maintain  peace  and  order,  as  the  history 
of  all  nations,  where  anarchy  has  reigned,  clearly  proves;  and  you  would  thus 
expose  the  whole  world  to  mutual  pillage  and  rapine,  and  subject  the  weaker  to 
the  insolent  tyranny  of  the  stronger ;  and  we  should  see  a  spectacle  exhibited, 
the  most  frightful  ever  yet  experienced  on  earth.     It  is  in  fact  the  idea  of  a 
supreme  legislative  power  being  somewhere,  which  has  been  the  foundation  of 
civilised  society  in  all  ages,  and  where  this  has  not  been  the  case,  disorder  was 
ever  the  consequence.     If  we  have  now  no  declared  will  of  the  Deity,  (which 
however  the  traditions  of  all  nations  clearly  establish,)  and  as  the  enactments  of 
man,  even  the  cardinal  points  on  which  the  structure  of  civil  society  rests,  can 
be  repealed  by  a  succeeding  generation,  (witness  the  laws  of  Draco  and  Solon,) 
it  will  be  evident  that  no  moral  system,  even  the  emanation  of  the  wisest  men, 
can  obtain  sufficient  moral  force,  to  become  a  standard  of  right.     This  moral 
force,  however,  can  only  belong  to  a  system  derived  from  a  Being  not  fallible 
himself,  and  whose  wisdom  cannot  be  gainsaid  by  a  successor.     It  cannot  be 
denied,  that  some  persons  have  availed  themselves  of  the  actual  existence  of  a 
revelation  to  promulge  ideas  of  their  own  engrafted  upon  it,  which  were  foreign 
to  its  nature;  but  this  only  proves  the  more  clearly,  the  necessity  of  a  knowledge 
of  the  pure  source,  even  to  the  unbeliever,  not  to  mention  to  any  one  founding 
his  belief  upon,  and  regulating  his  life  by,  revelation ;  since  from  it  systems  have 
sprung,  which,  although  not  possessing  the  whole  strength  and  grandeur  of  the 
original  itself,  have  nevertheless  done  so  much  towards  civilising  the  world, 
and  exploding  codes  of  laws  disfigured  by  cruelty  and    immorality.    What 
is  more,  this  diversity  of  systems  derived  from  the  Pentateuch  will  upon  reflec- 
tion establish  the  truth  of  the  latter;  as  its  actual  existence,  and  the  knowledgi 
they  had  of  its  being  the  work  of  inspiration,  induced  reformers  to  give  t» 
their  own  nations  something  resembling  it,  whilst  they  perhaps  thought  then 
not  yet  sufficiently  enlightened  to  bestow  the  whole  upon  them.     But  there  ij 
no  doubt,  that  a  time  will  come,  when  the  Mosaic  code  alone,  under  such  mod: 
fication  (to  the  nations)  as  the  Almighty  may  ordain,  will  be  the  law-book  of  a| 
the  earth.     See  Isaiah,  chap.  ii.  and  xi.  Zachariah,  chap.  xiv.  and  many  othc 
passages  in  the  prophets. 


WHO  WROTE  THE  PENTATEUCH  >  9 

they  might  have  a  road  to  lead  them  on  to  happiness,  or  that  He 
left  them  to  grope  about  in  darkness?  Can  it  be  believed,  that  He, 
who  has  provided  for  the  smallest  insect,  which  is  invisible  to  the 
human  eye,  should  leave  his  noblest  work  so  unprovided,  so  desti- 
tute, so  miserable?  Did  He  give  him  an  intelligent  mind  to  make 
his  station  the  more  wretched,  the  more  forlorn? 

If  philosophers  would  only  reflect,  to  what  ends  their  reckless 
denial  of  all  revelation  must  lead  them,  I  am  confident,  they  would 
pause  and  shudder  at  the  sight  of  the  fathomless  abyss,  to  which 
they  so  thoughtlessly  hurry  on  themselves  and  others.  They  would 
not  then  so  often  think  lightly  of  the  word  of  Him,  who  is  no  less 
their  God,  than  the  God  and  Creator  of  the  whole  universe. 


CHAPTER  II. 


WHO    WROTE    THE    PENTATEUCH  ? 


Before  we  adduce  further  proofs  in  favour  of  revelation,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  enquire,  if  Moses  actually  wrote  the  books,  which  bear 
his  name  ;  and  granted  he  did  write  them,  if  he  be  then  entitled  to 
belief,  or  in  other  words,  if  what  Moses  relates  in  his  history  did  take 
place,  at  the  time,  place,  and  in  the  manner,  he  himself  says  it  did 
happen. 

First :  "  Did  Moses  write  the  Jive  books  (Pentateuch),  which  are 
designated  by  his  name?"  To  this  question  we  unhesitatingly  answer, 
yes ;  for  the  following  reason :  If  any  man  presents  a  book  to  the 
public,  and  alleges  that  he  is  the  author  of  the  same,  he  deserves, 
without  doubt,  to  be  believed,  unless  some  other  person  should  claim 
the  authorship,  and  bring  conclusive  proof,  that  he,  and  not  the 
ostensible  editor,  is  the  true  author.  Now  we  find,  tha^Moses  tells 
us,  that  he  was  commanded  by  God,  whose  messenger  Ke  purports  to 
be,  to  write  down  all  the  transactions  of  his  time,  as  Jhey  happened  . 
2 


10  WHO  WROTE  THE  PENTATEUCH? 

for  we  read  in  Exodus,  chap,  xxxiv.  v.  27:  "And  the  Eternal  said  unto 
Moses,  Write  thou  these  words;  for  according  to  these  words  I 
have  made  a  covenant  with  thee  and  with  Israel." 

Here  we  find  Moses  announcing,  that  he  had  received  an  absolute 
injunction  from  the  Deity,  to  write  down  the  events  of  his  time,  and 
the  laws  which  were  communicated  to  him. 

And  in  Deuteronomy  (chap.xxxi.  v.  24)  we  read  that  Moses  relates 
his  having  completed  the  task  thus  imposed  upon  him  by  God ;  for 
there  it  is  said : 

"And  when  Moses  had  finished  to  write  down  the  words  of  this  law 
in  a  book,  to  their  very  conclusion ; 

25.  Then  Moses  commanded  the  Levites,  the  carriers  of  the  ark 
of  the  covenant  of  the  Eternal,  as  follows : 

26.  Take  this  book  of  the  law,  and  place  it  at  the  side  of  the  ark 
of  the  covenant  of  the  Eternal  your  God,  and  it  shall  be  there  as  an 
evidence  against  thee  (the  whole  nation  of  the  Israelites)." 

It  is  thus  proved  by  the  internal  evidence  of  the  books  themselves, 
that  they  were  written  and  compiled*  by  Moses;  and  even  the  ac- 
count of  the  travels  of  the  Israelites  owes  its  origin  to  the  same 
author,  as  he  carefully  noted  down  all  the  journeyings  of  the  people 
under  his  charge,  as  he  himself  tells  us  in  the  33d  chapter  of  the 
book  of  Numbers. 

How  can  it  now  be  doubted,  that  Moses  was  the  writer  of  the 
books  in  question  1 — Suppose  a  modern  antiquarian  were  to  attempt 
to  demonstrate,  that  Caesar  was  not  the  author  of  his  Commentaries ; 
or  that  Demosthenes  did  not  deliver  those  splendid  orations,  which 
were  for  the  last  two  thousand  years  supposed  to  be  his :  would  not 
such  an  attempt  be  considered,  by  most  men  at  least,  as  an  evidence 
of  insanity  in  the  person  who  makes  the  attempt? — For  how  could 
he  hope  to  convince  the  world  of  their  error,  except  by  prostrating 
at  the  same  time  all  dependence  upon  history  1  The  reason  for  this 
assertion  is  simply  the  following :  if  you  deny,  that  a  book,  which 

*  I  say  compiled ;  for  though  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  Moses  was  the  bona 
fide  author  of  the  last  four  books  of  the  Pentateuch,  comprising  the  history  of 
the  Israelites  during  his  life  time ;  it  is  nevertheless  more  than  probable,  that  the 
book  of  Genesis  was  in  existence  before  Moses,  and  if  even  not  in  its  present 
form,  at  least  it  may  be  presumed  that  he  had  ample  materials  in  his  possession, 
from  which  he  compiled  it,  as  will  be  more  clearly  shown  in  a  subsequent  chapter 


WHO  WROTE  THE  PENTATEUCH?  H 

bears  the  name  of  any  author,  was  written  by  the  reputed  author,  you 
admit,  that  this  book  contains  in  this  respect  at  least  an  untruth  ;  and 
if  it  cannot  be  relied  upon  in  so  material  a  point,  it  ought  not  to 
carry  any  weight  with  it  in  other  matters ;  for  since  the  author  has 
been  convicted  of  not  paying  a  strict  regard  to  truth,  how  can  you 
determine,  (if  you  rely  solely  upon  the  internal  evidence  of  the  book 
itself,)  what  is  true  and  what  is  not  true?  Not  to  come  to  this 
dilemma  you  must  admit,  that  the  pretended  author  was  the  real 
author ;  for  to  deny  this,  as  has  been  said,  would  throw  discredit 
upon  the  whole  book. — The  same  is  the  case  with  every  historical 
writing  extant ;  and  we  are  constrained  to  credit  the  authenticity  of 
authorship,  or  else  no  monument  of  art,  no  building,  no  painting,  in 
short  nothing  whatever,  would  be  believed  to  be  the  work  of  the 
artist,  to  whom  it  is  generally  ascribed ;  and  all  history  would  be  a 
mere  romance,  written  perhaps  like  some  fairy  tale,  to  amuse  chil- 
dren and  frighten  the  ignorant.  Nothing,  of  which  we  bad  not 
ocular  proof,  would  then  be  believed  by  us,  and  nothing  considered 
a  reality,  of  which  we  had  no  perception  with  our  senses.  But 
where  is  the  man  to  be  found,  who  is  willing  to  carry  this  principle 
to  so  great  an  extent  ?  And  yet  I  see  no  point,  where  to  stop  with 
any  degree  of  safety.  There  are  very  few,  who  do  not  repose  confi- 
dence in  history,  and  believe  things,  though  they  never  did  come 
under  their  own  observation.  Many  have  never  seen  the  emperor 
Napoleon,  few  have  ever  seen  Sir  Walter  Scott ;  nevertheless  they 
firmly  believe  that  the  former  fought  the  many  battles  in  Europe, 
Asia  and  Africa,  in  which  he  is  reported  to  have  been  present ;  and 
that  the  latter  wrote  the  life  of  Napoleon,  and  that  moreover  he  is 
the  author  of  that  great  number  of  books,  of  which  he  has  avowed 
himself  the  author.  It  cannot  indeed  be  well  comprehended,  how  a 
single  man,  unaided,  could  possibly  write  so  much,  independently  of 
the  composition  of  so  many  works ;  but  for  all  that,  they  believe,  that 
Sir  Walter  did  write  all  those  books,  the  authorship  of  which  he 
claims,  chiefly  because  no  other  person  has  claimed  the  authorship 
and  proved  a  superior  title  to  the  reputed  author,  although  they  them- 
selves have  never  seen  him  write  a  single  word. 

But,  some  one  may  ask ; 

"  If  I  am  to  believe  the  identity  of  books,  which  have  been  written 
so  many  centuries  ago,  what  safeguard  have  I  against  being  imposed 


12  WHO  WROTE  THE  PENTATEUCH  ? 

upon  by  any  book,  which  is  given  out  as  being  the  work  of  any 
author  of  antiquity  V 

This,  I  confess,  is  a  weighty  objection,  the  more  so,  as  forged  books 
have  very  often  been  ascribed  to  writers,  who  perhaps  had  never 
even  heard  the  names  of  those  very  works,  said  to  be  theirs.  But  let 
us  examine  the  matter  a  little  more  closely,  and  see  if  the  danger  of 
being  imposed  upon  be  really  so  great  as  might  perhaps  appear  at 
first  sight.  Let  us  for  instance  suppose ;  that  a  book  should  be  pub- 
lished, purporting  to  have  been  written  by  Julius  Casar,  and  giving 
an  account  of  the  civil  war,  which  under  Caesar  agitated  the  whole 
Roman  empire ;  that  further,  this  book  should  give  an  account  of 
the  events  of  the  time,  similar  to  that,  which  is  contained  in  the  book, 
commonly  ascribed  to  Caesar,  on  the  same  subject, — let  us  say,  till 
his  arrival  in  Greece ;  but  in  speaking  of  the  battle  of  Pharsalus,  in 
which  Pompey  was  conquered,  suppose  it  to  state,  that  Caesar's  army 
was  routed  by  that  of  Pompey,  after  which  the  latter  held  a  triumph- 
ant entry  into  Rome,  and  that  it  was  not  till  after  a  long  war,  that 
Caesar  conquered  in  a  hard  fought  battle,  in  which  Pompey  was  slain. 
What  would  every  one's  opinion  be  in  finding  such  an  account  in  a 
work  said  to  be  written  by  Caesar  ?  Surely,  that  Caesar  could  not 
be  the  author,  because  the  whole  chain  of  events,  which  preceded 
Casar's  death,  belie  the  (fictitious)  account  just  given,  and  the  great 
dictator  would  not  in  all  probability  have  committed  any  thing  to 
writing,  which  he,  as  an  eye-witness  and  the  principal  actor,  must 
have  known  to  be  untrue. — Or  if  the  book  in  question  should  say, 
that  the  German  warriors  in  Caesar's  army  were  equipped  after  the 
fashion  of  Numidian  horsemen — or  if  it  were  written  in  the  monkish 
Latin  of  the  middle  age :  in  all  these  cases  the  book  would  no  doubt 
be  pronounced  a  forgery,  without  the  slightest  diversity  of  opinion  ; 
for  circumstances,  generally  and  upon  the  best  possible  evidence, 
admitted  as  facts,  prove  that  Caesar  could  not  have  written  it,  for  he 
must  have  been  intimately  acquainted  with  the  history,  manners  and 
language  of  his  time. — But  if,  on  the  contrary,  a  book  were  found 
at  present,  written  in  the  easy  style  of  Caesar,  and  giving  such  an 
account  of  events  as  would  appear  plausible,  and  not  contradicted  by 
well  established  histories  of  that  period,  and  if  there  should  be  a 
clause  in  the  work  stating,  that  C.  Julius  Caesar  the  Dictator  had 
written  it :  could  then  any  reasonable  doubt  be  entertained  of  its 


WHO  WROTE  THE  PENTATEUCH?  13 

authenticity?  And  I  am  free  to  assert,  that  most  persons  would 
regard  the  book  as  genuine,  and  they  would  require  more  proof,  than 
the  mere  dictum  of  any  man,  to  establish  the  contrary.* 

The  foregoing  illustration  it  is  hoped  will  have  satisfactorily  shown, 
that  we  may  with  a  great  degree  of  safety  rely  upon  the  identity  of 
books  of  antiquity.  I  will  now  advance  another  position,  which  from 
its  very  nature  is  incontrovertible,  namely:  "that  what  is  once  true 
must  ever  be  so."  If  for  instance  it  is  true  now,  that  Caesar  wrote  the 
first  seven  books  on  the  Gallican  War,  the  same  must  be  true  two 
thousand  years  hence,  for  what  is  once  past,  is  past,  and  nothing  can 
undo  the  past. 

f  must  ask  pardon  of  my  readers  for  this  long  digression,  which 
was  considered  necessary  for  the  proof,  or  at  least  elucidation,  of  the 
assertion,  "  that  Moses  was  the  author  of  the  books  he  professes  to 
have  written." — Almost  every  man  admits  the  truth  of  profane  his- 
tory, at  least  so  far  as  to  believe,  that  the  different  books  of  all  ages 
were  written  by  those  men,  who  claim  to  be  the  authors,  unless 
perhaps  it  might  be  established,  that  there  be  some  other  claimants, 
who  have  superior  titles  to  the  reputed  authors.  The  details  of  his- 
tory are  also  admitted,  unless  their  falsity  can  be  proved. 

Let  us  now  ask  all  those,  who  deny  the  truth  of  our  religion,  why 
will  you  give  credence  to  profane  history,  and  not  even  believe,  that 
our  blessed  legislator  was  the  author  of  his  own  books ;  or  rather 
that  it  was  he  who  wrote  them  by  the  command  of  the  Most  High, 
if  any  one  did?  But  you  will  say,  "the  books  are  of  so  great  anti- 
quity, that  it  may  be  fairly  doubted,  whether  Moses  wrote  them, 
especially  as  we  have  no  contemporary  writer  to  prove  the  fact !"  Is 
that  your  objection  ?  well  let  us  examine  it  a  little  more  closely  and 
ask  :  if  Moses  did  not  write  them,  who  then  was  the  author?  Were 
the  seventy  elders,  who  made  the  translation,  commonly  called  the 
Septuagint,  for  Ptolemy  Lagos,  the  authors  ? — No,  for  they  were 
only  the  translators  into  Greek  of  this  book — a  book  previously  ex- 
isting in  Hebrew,  and  so  much  renowned  for  its  wisdom,  that  a 

*  Although  the  above  supposition  may  appear  far-fetched,  similar  cases  have 
nevertheless  frequently  occurred,  both  with  works  of  ancient  and  modern 
authors;  for  example,  the  book  of  the  Republic  by  Cicero,  and  Milton's  book  on  Re- 
ligion, which  both  have  been  discovered  only  very  lately,  as  the  learned  reader 
will  no  doubt  recollect. 


14  WHO  WROTE  THE  PENTATEUCH? 

Grecian  king  desired  a  transcript  of  it  in  his  own  language.* — But 
was  it  Ezra  1  No,  for  he  could  not  be  the  compiler  even,  much  less 
the  author,  as  he  speaks  of  the  books  as  already  in  existence,  nay  as 
existing  even  before  his  time,  and  as  being  well  known  to  the  en- 
lightened part  of  the  people. — So  he  cannot  be  the  man. — But  was 
it  Joshua,  the  immediate  successor  of  Moses  ?  Oh  no,  for  to  him  it 
was  commanded  (Josh.  i.  8.):  "  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart 
out  of  thy  mouth,  and  thou  shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night, 
that  thou  mayest  observe  to  do  all,  which  is  written  therein,  for  then 
wilt  thou  be  prosperous  and  then  wilt  thou  be  wise."  If  the  Penta- 
teuch then  was  existing  before  Joshua,  he  cannot  be  the  author  of 
it ;  much  less  Ezra,  who  lived  near  a  thousand  years  later.  We 
must  therefore  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  Moses — being  the  im- 
mediate predecessor  of  Joshua,  and  as  the  Jews  had  no  legislator 
before  him — must  be  the  authorf  de  facto  of  the  books  that  bear  his 
name.  This  he  was  in  the  time  of  Joshua,  and  what  was  true 
then,  is  true  now;  and,  therefore,  since  Moses  was  the  real  author  in 
those  days,  he  must  now  also  be  considered  as  such,  and  this  so  long 
as  the  blue  vault  of  heaven  shall  remain  extended  over  this  beautiful 
earth ! 

May  God  enlighten  our  minds  and  fortify  us  in  his  law,  Amen ! 

*  And  it  certainly  can  be  no  argument  against  the  actual  existence  of  the 
Pentateuch  before  this  period,  that  the  Greeks  were  not  acquainted  with  it,  as 
we  find  no  mention  made  of  it  in  their  most  ancient  historian.  For  this  may 
have  been  owing  to  their  ignorance  of  what  related  to  other  nations,  or  to  the 
contempt  they  uniformly  expressed  towards  barbarians  (all  nations  except  the 
Greek),  and  they  may  have  therefore  concealed  the  knowledge  they  had  of  a  book 
of  wisdom  and  good  laws  belonging  to  another  and  distant  people. — But  the 
eagerness  of  Ptolemy  to  possess  himself  of  this  treasure  clearly  proves,  not  only 
that  the  Greeks  were  ignorant  of  its  existence,  but  that  its  origin  must  have 
been  referrible,  even  at  that  time,  to  very  remote  antiquity. 

t  See  Appendix  to  Part  I.  for  a  refutation  of  some  anachronisms,  which  it  is 
pretended  have  been  discovered  in  the  Pentateuch. 


\ 


15 


CHAPTER  III. 

MOSES    AN    AUTHENTIC   HISTORIAN. 

Having  in  the  preceding  chapter  endeavoured  to  establish,  to  the 
best  of  my  limited  abilities,  that  Moses  was  the  author  of  the  books, 
which  are  known  by  his  name :  we  must  now  proceed  to  the  second 
point  of  enquiry ; 

"  Is  Moses  entitled  to  credibility,  as  a  historian  V* 

Our  conviction  or  knowledge  may  be  referred  as  proceeding  from 
three  causes  :  first,  we  are  convinced  of  any  thing,  that  is,  we  know  it 
to  be  true,  because  we  were  eye-witnesses,  or  have  other  personal 
knowledge  of  the  fact;  secondly,  because  we  hear  it  related  by  persons, 
who  profess  to  have  seen  or  experienced  it,  and  in  whose  veracity 
we  place  confidence ;  and  lastly,  because  we  read  events  described 
in  books,  and  though  the  author,  or  what  is  the  same,  the  narrator, 
himself  be  not  present,  to  tell  us  his  narrative  by  word  of  mouth, 
we  may  nevertheless  believe  confidently,  first,  that  the  professed 
author  was  an  eye-witness  of  the  described  event,  or  that  his  source 
of  information  was  undoubted;  and  lastly,  that  his  narrative  is  in 
conformity  with  truth,  or,  what  is  the  same,  that  the  events  related 
actually  occurred. 

The  limited  faculties  of  man  will  not  allow  him,  to  be  an  eye- 
witness of  many  things;  and,  since  he  cannot  be  at  different  places 
at  the  same  moment  of  time,  he  must  receive,  whatever  happens  out 
of  his  presence,  upon  the  good  faith  of  others;  for  he  would  assur- 
edly be,  and  ever  remain,  woefully  uninformed  of  the  affairs  of  life 
and  the  discoveries  of  science,  should  he  reject  every  thing  as  untrue, 
which  did  not  fall  under  his  own  personal  observation. 

Since  our  acquaintance  with  external  facts  can  only  commence 
from  the  time  of  our  birth,  we  are  thereby  prevented  from  having 
personal  knowledge  of  what  occurred  before  our  time ;  we  cannot 
resort  to  eye-witnesses  for  information,  as  every  human  being  alive 
is  comparatively  of  but  recent  date.  If  therefore  we  wish  to  be  in- 
formed of  what  took  place  before  our  time,  we  must  needs  seek  this 
information  from  books  :  secondly,  from  those  who  have  read  them, 


16  MOSES  AN  AUTHENTIC  HISTORIAN. 

in  case  we  cannot  read  them  ourselves,  and  lastly  from  monuments 
and  popular  tradition. 

Of  all  the  above  sources  of  information,  or  conviction,  that  is  un- 
doubtedly the  safest,  which  results  from  our  own  actual  observation 
and  the  perception  of  our  senses ;  the  second  best  is  that,  which  is 
derived  from  living  witnesses,  who  impart  to  us  what  they  know 
by  experience ;  and  the  last  is  that,  which  is  drawn  from  books, 
monuments  and  tradition. 

Though,  generally  speaking,  to  see  is  to  believe ;  we  will  yet 
frequently  find,  that  we  may  be  deceived,  although  we  have  the 
thing  to  be  investigated  actually  before  us.  The  reason  of  this  is, 
that  many  things,  presented  to  our  view,  are  not  sufficiently  known 
or  understood  by  us,  to  enable  us  to  form  a  correct  judgment ;  and 
even  when  this  is  not  the  case,  we  are  frequently  so  much  biassed 
by  prejudice,  as  to  suffer  it  to  warp  our  judgment  to  such  a  degree, 
that  we  are  led  to  judge  altogether  erroneously,  though  under  other 
circumstances  we  would  be  able  to  form  a  strictly  correct  opinion,  if 
our  feelings  were  not  enlisted,  on  the  one  side  or  the  other. 

When  we  derive  our  information  from  living  witnesses,  we  are 
too  apt  to  suffer  our  judgment  to  be  swayed  by  the  feelings  of  our 
informants,  particularly,  if  our  interest  coincides,  with  theirs ;  so,  on 
the  contrary,  we  are  often,  from  no  other  cause  than  private  pique, 
predisposed  to  differ  altogether  with  our  informants,  because  we 
may  prefer  finding  them,  or  their  friends,  in  the  wrong,  or  shut 
our  ears  against  conviction,  from  a  mere  spirit  of  contradiction. 
But  as  we  are  here  not  so  much  personally  engaged,  as  if  we  were 
the  actors,  or  immediate  spectators,  we  will  frequently,  upon  reflec- 
tion, be  disposed  to  alter  our  opinions,  and  bring  them  down  to  a 
proper  standard  of  reasoning,  much  oftener  at  least,  than  if  our 
feelings  were  more  immediately  enlisted,  by  our  personal  observation 
or  actual  participation. 

When  at  last  books,  monuments,  or  traditions,  are  our  guides 
to  knowledge,  though  we  may  even  here  be  more  inclined  to  one  side, 
than  the  other,  we  will  yet  certainly,  and  almost  invariably,  be  en- 
abled to  form  a  more  correct  opinion,  than  in  the  two  first  cases. 

Thus  we  see,  that  each  mode  of  acquiring  information  has  its 
advantages  and  disadvantages;  and  indeed  it  often  happens,  that 
though  we  ourselves  are  unjust  towards  a  third  person,  our  neighbours 


MOSES  AN  AUTHENTIC  HISTORIAN.  17 

will  understand  our  dispute  better,  and,  however  favourably  inclined 
towards  us,  will  decide  in  his  favour: — and  again,  posterity  will 
esteem  a  man  great  and  glorious,  whom  his  contemporaries  suffer- 
ed to  starve. 

I  am  inclined  to  believe,  that  the  foregoing  will  be  sufficient  to 
show,  that  we  may  derive  positive  information  without  ocular 
evidence,  or  else,  that  our  mind  must  be  a  blank,  and  ignorant  of  the 
most  important  concerns  of  life,  and  of  those  things,  which  are  the 
most  conducive  to  our  happiness.  In  fact,  the  world  in  general 
has  ever  thought  so,  since,  from  time  immemorial,  history  has 
afforded  instruction  and  amusement,  and  has  been  generally  received 
as  true ;  besides,  the  example  of  great  deeds  has  roused  many  a 
noble  mind  into  activity,  which  might  otherwise  have  lain  dormant, 
or  exhausted  its  vigour  in  works,  if  not  pernicious,  at  least  useless 
to  society. 

But  some  one  may  ask  :  "  How  far  is  it  reasonable  to  rely  upon 
any  thing  I  hear,  or  find  related  in  books?  what  rule  am  I  to  ob- 
serve, to  guard  myself  against  being  imposed  upon  ?"  Here  let  us 
pause  a  moment,  and  reflect :  how  does  it  appear  to  our  conviction, 
that  any  thing  has  actually  occurred,  and  that  our  impression  of  any 
supposed  fact  is  not  a  phantom  of  the  imagination?  First,  from  the 
effect  the  occurrence  has  produced ;  secondly,  from  preceding,  ac- 
companying, or  subsequent  circumstances;  and  lastly,  from  the 
impression  it  made  at  the  same  time  upon  others,  if  others  there 
were,  to  witness  the  occurrence  at  the  same  time  with  us. — For  in- 
stance, let  us  suppose,  that  a  number  of  persons  should  be  assembled 
in  a  well  built  house,  and  that  this  had  the  appearance  of  being  a 
structure  which  could  endure  for  ages.  Now  let  us  imagine,  that 
a  sudden  concussion  of  the  earth  were  to  rend  this  building  asunder, 
and  bury  the  persons  there  assembled  amidst  the  tumbling  ruins ; 
that  only  one  should  be  dug  out  alive,  and  recover  his  recollection  by 
degrees,  after  weeks  of  sickness  and  mental  darkness,  and  then,  find- 
ing himself  surrounded  by  strangers,  call  for  those  who  were  with 
him  when  the  earthquake  took  place ;  now  even  assume,  that  he  re- 
ceive at  first  an  evasive  reply,  as  for  instance,  that  they  would  soon 
come  ;  is  it  not  highly  probable,  that  his  own  returning  reason  will 
soon  convince  him  of  the  reality  of  the  case  ?  his  being  where  he  is, 
Will  tell  him,  upon  reflection,  that  something  dreadful  must  have  taken 
3 


18  MOSES  AN  AUTHENTIC  HISTORIAN. 

place,  and  the  sudden  tumbling  of  the  strong  walls,  the  shock,  which 
he  himself  experienced,  will  force  upon  him  the  melancholy  conclu- 
sion, that  he  shall  see  his  friends  no  more ;  and  no  matter  how  faint  his 
knowledge  of  the  actual  occurrence  of  the  earthquake  may  be  at  first, 
the  effect  it  had  upon  him  will  undoubtedly  teach  him  that  it  ac- 
tually did  occur. — In  the  second  case ;  you  are  in  a  room,  and  hear 
a  conversation,  to  which  you  pay  no  particular  attention ;  to  be  sure, 
you  hear  it,  but  yet  do  not  think  it  of  consequence  enough  to  charge 
your  memory  with  it.  After  some  time  suppose  a  friend  comes  to 
you,  and  asks :  "  Do  you  recollect  what  such  a  one  said  on  that  day  ?" 
At  first,  you  will  barely  recollect  that  a  conversation  took  place  at 
all ;  but  if  he  draws  your  attention  to  various  circumstances,  which 
accompanied  this  conversation,  you  will  very  probably  recollect  the 
whole  or  the  essential  part  at  least,  which  would  have  been  abso- 
lutely impossible,  but  for  the  accompanying  circumstances. — In  the 
third  place,  let  us  suppose  that  a  sudden  meteor  flashes  before  our 
eyes,  but  that  its  transit  is  so  quick  as  to  leave  us  in  doubt  if  we 
are  mistaken  in  our  impression  or  not ;  but  if  we  hear  others  say 
that  they  too  saw  a  meteor,  we  shall  then  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
our  first  although  imperfect  impression. 

In  the  same  manner  may  historical  correctness  be  tested ;  first, 
by  effects ;  secondly,  by  circumstances  which  are  known  to  have 
taken  place ;  and  thirdly,  by  general  impression,  except  when  it  is 
contrary  to  previously  well  attested  facts. — Historical  effect  is  every 
thing  produced  by  events  related  in,  or  made  known  by,  history ; 
thus  is  the  independence  of  the  United  States  an  effect  or  conse- 
quence, in  the  first  instance  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and 
in  the  next,  of  the  subsequent  war. — In  this  class  may  also  be  reck- 
oned what  are  called  the  remains  of  antiquity,  as  ruins,  ancient 
buildings,  monuments,  and  manuscripts. — To  the  second  class  belong 
conversations,  said  to  have  been  held  by  persons,  who  are  no  more 
in  being,  which  derive  their  claim  to  authenticity,  merely  from  the 
known  character  of  those  persons ;  further,  such  incidents  as  have 
been  transmitted  to  us  in  historical  records,  which  are  rendered  pro- 
bable from  the  peculiar  manner,  lives,  and  character  of  persons  or 
even  nations.  Of  the  former,  I  will  only  mention  the  few  words  said 
to  have  been  spoken  by  Julius  Caesar,  when  he  discovered  Brutus 
amongst  his  assassins ;  and  of  the  latter,  the  conduct  of  Alexander 


MOSES  AN  AUTHENTIC  HISTORIAN.  19 

of  Macedon  at  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Ammon,  and  his  conduct  subse- 
quently thereto,  after  he  believed  himself,  and  obliged  others  to  be- 
lieve, that  he  was  the  son  of  a  god. — In  the  last  class  1  would  reckon 
all  traditions  and  popular  stories,  which  are  more  or  less  worthy  of 
credit,  as  they  can  be  more  or  less  fortified  by  either  monuments 
&c,  known  circumstances,  or  lastly,  probability. 

When  the  effect  produced  by  a  certain  reported  event  is  yet  in 
existence,  no  man  in  his  sober  senses  will  doubt  a  fact  so  well  au- 
thenticated.* For  instance,  it  is  said,  that  in  the  seventy -ninth  year 
of  the  Christian  aera,  the  city  of  Pompeii  was  destroyed  or  rather 
buried,  by  the  volcanic  ashes  of  Vesuvius.  If  any  one  even  might  have 
been  inclined  to  doubt  this,  had  it  merely  been  reported,  it  is  now 
rendered  certain  beyond  a  possibility  of  being  disputed,  as  the  buried 
city  was  actually  discovered  about  a  hundred  years  ago,  since  which 
time  many  streets  have  been  re-opened.  No  man,  therefore,  can 
now  doubt,  that  a  similar  fate  has  befallen,  or  may  yet  befall  other 
places. — About  a  century  ago  an  island  was  formed  in  the  Grecian 
Archipelago,  after  a  terrible  convulsion  of  nature.  This  island  yet 
exists,  and  the  account  of  its  emersion  from  the  waves  is  consequently 
believed. — It  will  therefore  be  readily  acknowledged,  that  the  rare- 
ness and  even  improbability  of  a  thing,  can  be  no  argument  against 
its  possibility,  and  whatever  is  authenticated  and  verified  by  un- 
doubted effects  must  be  received  as  true,  no  matter  if  the  event  be  in 
accordance  with  the  ordinary  course  of  nature  or  not. 

If  then  profane  history  is  verified  by  the  remains  of  antiquity,  why 
should  we  reject  the  account  which  Moses  has  left  us  ?  Why  will 
you,  who  deny  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God,  be  more  indulgent  to 
the  records  of  the  Grecians  and  Romans,  than  to  sacred  history  ? 
Is  there  not  a  more  noble  monument  of  the  historical  truth  of  the 
Pentateuch,  than  Grecian  marble,  or  Egyptian  granite,  namely,  we 
ourselves,  the  Jews  1 — Answer  me,  are  not  the  dispersions  of  Israel 
sufficient  testimony  of  the  existence  of  Moses,  of  the  wonderful  de- 
liverance of  the  children  of  Jacob,  and  of  their  conquest  of  the  Holy 
Land  under  the  guidance  of  Joshua  1 — Will  you  believe  that  Sesostris 
reigned,  Themistocles  fought,  Socrates  and  Plato  taught  philosophy, 

*  If  therefore  any  thing  is  rotated  to  us,  and  we  are  assured  that  it  had  a 
mentioned  effect,  and  it  can  be  proved  that  this  effect  never  took  place;  we 
may  then  safely  and  fairly  consider  the  whole  story  a  fabrication. 


20  MOSES  AN  AUTHENTIC  HISTORIAN. 

and  Demosthenes  spoke — and  will  you,  can  you  deny  that  Moses 
lived?  that  through  him  the  law  was  given?  and  that  the  history  of 
the  Israelites  is  faithfully  narrated  in  the  subsequent  biblical  writings  ? 

"  Well,"  some  of  you  will  say,  "  we  grant  the  possibility,  even 
the  probability  of  the  plain  matters  of  fact  in  the  Bible,  but  we  will 
not  admit  the  truth  of  the  miracles ;  and  as  these  are  so  much  inter- 
woven with  natural  occurrences  throughout  the  Bible,  they  are 
enough  to  throw  discredit  upon  the  whole." 

But  if  there  is  a  God  who  created  all  things,  and  governs  all,  and 
sustains  all  by  his  will, — and  there  is  a  God !  exclaims  all  nature — 
to  whom  all  owes  its  origin— ^ we  must  admit  that  miracles  are  within 
the  scope  of  possibility ;  for,  should  not  the  Creator  be  able  to  order 
things  differently,  and  yet  preserve  all  in  being,  if  He  deems  it 
proper  ?  Since  then  miracles  are  possible,  since  we  even  see  that 
extraordinary  events  occur  daily  ;  can  we  possibly  doubt,  that  God 
could  change  water  into  blood  for  particular  purposes,  when  He, 
in  his  unerring  wisdom,  thought  it  necessary  towards  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  almighty  will?  Could  He  not  send  frogs,  or  as 
some  suppose,  crocodiles,  to  plague  the  inhabitants  of  Egypt,  when 
they  refused  to  obey  his  will  ?  Could  he  not  let  water  flow  out  of  a 
rock,  when  he  determined  to  do  so  ? 

I  admit,  that  God  has  ordained  nature  to  work  so  harmoniously, 
that,  to  our  impression,  the  slightest  impediment  would  destroy  the 
beautiful  fabric.  But  does  that  change,  or  diminish,  or  circumscribe 
his  ability,  to  order  it  otherwise?  Can  He  not  dry  up  every  foun- 
tain? can  He  not  split  mountains  asunder?  can  He  not  command  the 
sea  to  produce  habitable  land  in  its  vast  and  deep  centre  ?  and  should 
He  not  be  able  "  to  give  bread,  should  He  not  be  powerful  enough  to 
provide  food  for  his  people  V  Why  then,  let  me  repeat  the  ques- 
tion, will  you  not  accept  the  Mosaic  writings  as  the  true  chronology 
of  times  gone  by?  Will  you  reject  them,  because  of  their  antiquity? 
Will  you  leave  such  a  blank  in  the  history  of  the  world,  from  its 
creation  to  Herodotus  ?  Forbid  it  science,  forbid  it  reason,  forbid  it 
justice  !    Rather  join  with  us  and  say  : 

"  Moses  is  true,  and  his  law  is  true  ! 


21 
CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  PENTATEUCH. 

In  the  foregoing  chapters,  I  have  endeavoured  to  show  the  plausi- 
bility as  least,  first,  of  Moses's  right  to  be  acknowledged  the  author 
of  the  Pentateuch,  and  secondly,  of  the  claims  of  this  book  to  be  con- 
sidered the  true  history  of  his  time. — But  how*  did  Moses  know 
what  happened  before  his  days  ? — To  this,  I  answer,  that  he  was  not 
only  the  narrator  of  his  own  observations,  but  also  the  compiler  or 
transcriber  of  existing  historical  materials.  We  have  no  means  to 
prove  positively,  that  the  Israelites  had  any  writings  before  Moses  ; 
but  we  can  give  various  reasons,  which  seem  to  leave  hardly  any 
doubt  resting  upon  the  matter. 

In  the  first  place,  the  greater  part  of  the  events  in  Genesis  are 
so  circumstantially  narrated,  that  it  appears  that  those,  who  were 
immediately  concerned  in  them,  were  the  historians  of  their  times. 

A  second  reason  may  be  discovered  in  the  peculiar  phraseology  of 
at  least  tivo passages  in  Exodus.  We  read  in  Exo.  xvii.  v.  14  :  "And 
the  Eternal  said  unto  Moses,  write  this  (the  attack  of  Amalake  upon 
Israel)  for  a  memorial  in  the  book,  and  rehearse  it  before  Joshua." — 
The  Hebrew  words  are  the  following :  ^3D3  p"OT  na?  3H3  (Ketobe 
zothe  zickahrone  Bassaypher.)  The  word,  Bassaypher  signifies, 
in  the  book,  whereas  in  a  book  (Eng.  Version)  ought  to  have  been 
Besaypher ;  or,  to  make  it  more  intelligible  to  an  English  reader,  the 
Hebrew  syllable  ba  is  the  preposition  in  followed  by  the  definite 
article  the  (in  the),  and  the  syllable  be  is  the  preposition  in  with  the 
indefinite  article  a  (in  a).f     If  the  passage,  of  which  we  are  now 

*  If  jt  is  once  admitted  that  the  Pentateuch  was  written  by  inspiration,  it 
makes  no  difference,  from  what  other  sources  Moses  derived  his  information, 
as  the  Holy  Spirit  was  in  that  case  his  instructer,  which  would  have  prevented 
him  from  committing  any  error  ;  but  as  I  direct  my  argument  against  unbe- 
lievers, I  think  it  necessary  to  prove  every  thing,  so  as  not  to  leave  them  any 
opportunity  for  cavilling. 

t  I  am  indebted  for  (his  argument  to  the  April  No.  1826,  p.  282,  of  the  North 
American  Review. 


22  THE  PENTATEUCH. 

treating,  is  rendered  correctly,  and  which  no  Hebrew  scholar  can 
dispute,  it  is  pretty  evident,  that,  as  God  ordered  Moses  to  write 
the  attack  of  Amalake  in  the  book,  it  must  follow,  (as  no  particular 
book  is  mentioned,  either  here  or  elsewhere,)  that  this  expression 
must  relate  to  a  book  well  known  to  the  then  Israelites,  and  which 
book,  moreover,  must  have  been  a  record  of  their  history  previous 
to  the  promulgation  of  the  law,  as  the  battle  with  Amalake  took 
place  before  that  event,  the  most  remarkable  since  the  creation.  The 
second  passage  is  found  in  Exodus  xxiv.  v.  7,  and  is  in  the  following 
words :  "  And  he  (Moses)  took  the  book  of  the  covenant  and  read  it 
within  hearing  of  the  people,  &c."  This  passage,  however,  is 
not  so  explicit  as  the  preceding  one,  as  it  may  refer  also  to  the  oc- 
currences between  the  Exodus  and  the  promulgation  of  the  law  on 
Sinai  exclusively ;  though  many  are  of  opinion,  that  the  book  of  the 
covenant  here  spoken  of  is  that  in  which  the  covenants  with  the  Pa- 
triarchs are  recorded,  meaning  the  book  of  Genesis ;  and  this  book 
must  have  contained  the  history  of  the  world  from  the  creation  to 
the  death  of  Joseph,  and  further,  the  first  nineteen  chapters  of  Exodus 
(the  passage  quoted  being  a  part  of  the  recapitulation  of  what  oc- 
curred before  the  promulgation  of  the  Decalogue).  But  as  this  can- 
not be  well  established,  and  as  it  is  mere  conjecture,  though  highly 
probable,  I  shall  not  insist  upon  it  as  a  convincing  argument. 

But  I  have  now  to  adduce  reasons  to  show,  that  independently  of 
every  consideration  of  inspiration  or  prophecy,  we  have  cause  to 
prefer  Moses's  history  to  any  profane  history  extant,  and  it  may  be 
added,  that  ever  was  or  will  be  written. — For  every  historian,  if  he 
relates  the  history  of  an  enemy,  will  delight  to  dwell  upon  his  crimes, 
and  place  his  misdeeds  before  the  world  in  the  boldest  relief,  and 
use  every  means  to  make  him  odiousr  and  only  put  a  limit  to  his 
acrimony,  for  the  sake  of  his  own  reputation  for  veracity,  and  that 
he  may  not  be  charged  with  giving  his  picture  too  deep  a  colouring. 
If  he  speaks  of  a  friend,  or  one  whom  he  pretends  to  admire,  he  will 
always  endeavour  to  gloss  over  the  faults  of  the  hero  of  his  tale,  or 
omit  them  altogether,  if  he  possibly  can.  And  if  any  man  writes 
his  own  life,  he  never  relates  a  fault  of  his  own,  except  it  be  to  gain 
applause  for  his  sincerity,  or  he  strives  hard  to  excuse  that  to  the 
world,  which  he,  in  his  conscience,  cannot  justify.  Is  this  true  or 
not? 


THE  PENTATEUCH.  23 

Not  so  Moses.  From  the  commencement  of  Genesis  to  the  end 
of  Deuteronomy,  he  merely  relates  the  facts,  as  they  occurred,  with- 
out at  any  time  commenting  upon  them.  He  relates  the  history  of 
Jacob  and  Joseph,  those  two  prominent  and  exalted  patriarchs,  with 
the  most  bewitching  simplicity ;  both  are  represented  to  us  as  they 
really  were,  without  addition,  without  diminution.  In  some  parts  of 
their  lives,  any  profane  historian,  had  he  been  their  biographer, 
would  have  attempted  to  justify  their  actions,  and  at  least  would  have 
tried  to  prove  them  virtuous,  though  their  actions  might  to  some 
appear  equivocal.  But  Moses  does  not  do  so  ;  he  gives  us  facts,  lets 
us  draw  our  own  inferences,  and  justify  or  condemn  actions  accord- 
ing to  the  standard  which  he  was  the  instrument  of  making  known 
to  the  world ;  well  knowing  that  the  intelligent  part  of  mankind  would 
be  indulgent  to  the  few  faults  and  occasional  errors  of  these  good 
men ;  particularly  when  he,  at  the  same  time,  leads  us  to  the  mortify- 
ing reflection,  that  no  one  is  entirely  free  from  fault,  and  that  the 
best  occasionally  transgresses ;  and  if  any  one  should  now  be  disposed 
to  vent  his  spleen  against  the  bible  characters,  because  they  were 
not  altogether  perfect,  he  may  be  referred  to  reflect  upon  himself, 
and  told  to  see  if  all  is  so  pure  within  him,  that  he  cannot  err,  before 
he  can  be  permitted  to  be  too  severe  upon  the  sins  of  otherwise 
good  men. 

We  thus  find  him  never  giving  a  false  or  overcharged  colouring  to 
any  thing  he  relates.  In  the  affecting  interview  between  Joseph  and 
Benjamin  every  thing  is  told  in  so  simple  a  style,  that  we  are  at  a 
loss  which  most  to  admire,  the  delicacy  of  Joseph's  feelings  towards 
Benjamin,  when  he  first  sees  him,  or  the  sublime  brevity  in  which 
the  whole  is  presented  to  us. — That  part,  where  Joseph  makes  him- 
self known  to  his  brothers,  is  in  the  same  style  of  simple  sublimity, 
if  I  may  use  the  expression ;'  "  I  am  Joseph !  lives  my  father  yet  ?" 
These  few  words  seem  to  proceed,  so  spontaneously,  and  so  naturally, 
from  a  surcharged  heart,  and  feelings  raised  to  the  highest  pitch, 
that  it  is  not  probable  that  any  passage  can  be  found,  either  in 
ancient  classics  or  in  any  modern  production,  that  will  in  any  degree 
equal  the  idea  expressed  by — I  am  Joseph  !  lives  my  father  yet  1 

If  we  have  seen  Moses  act  and  write  so  in  matters  where  he  was 
not  himself  concerned,  we  shall  find  him  equally  sincere,  and  equally 
regardful  of  truth,  when  he  has  occasion  to  speak  of  himself  or  his 


24  THE  PENTATEUCH. 

nearest  relations.  Though  he  had  often  opportunities  to  praise  him- 
self, or  to  sketch  his  own  character  in  the  most  exalted  manner,  yet 
does  he  ever  remain  the  simple  narrator  of  facts,  and  speaks  only  once 
in  his  own  praise,  and  that  in  a  trait  for  which  alone  few  men  would 
think  of  praising  themselves,  namely  the  absence  of  all  pride.  (Numb, 
xii.  v.  3.  "  And  the  man  Moses  was  the  meekest  of  all  men  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth.")  What,  the  greatest  of  mortals  to  suffer  himself 
to  be  slandered,  and  not  resent  the  affront  ?  What,  does  he  suffer 
rebellion  against  his  authority,  without  wishing  the  ringleaders  even 
to  be  punished,  save  only  then,  when  the  well-being  of  Israel  abso- 
lutely demanded  this  painful  sacrifice  ? — Yes,  it  is  even  so.  The  man 
who  was  destined  and  appointed  to  be  the  leader  of  the  Israelites 
shared  all  their  toils,  all  their  sufferings,  and  once  only  was  sedition 
against  his  authority  punished,  and  even  then  not  through  his  agency; 
and  his  version  of  that  event  must  needs  be  believed,  since  it  is  so 
circumstantially  told,  and  it  occurred  before  the  whole  nation  of 
Israel. 

Though  he  had  undoubtedly  acquired  a  great  stock  of  knowledge 
in  the  sciences  and  the  mechanic  arts,  yet  do  we  not  hear  him 
boast  of  any  of  his  acquirements  ;  he  only  tells  us  in  one  part  that 
his  bodily  strength  remained  unimpaired  to  his  dying  day,  and  in 
another  he  informs  us,  that  he  had  an  impediment  in  his  speech, 
and  this  is  all  we  know  of  the  greatest  of  men  !* — About  his  own  ac- 
tions he  is  very  explicit,  he  throws  no  veil  over  them  to  hide  their 
defects,  and  he  has  even  the  frankness  to  tell  us,  (Deut.  ch.  iii.  v. 
23 — 26,)  that  his  earnest  prayer  to  be  permitted  to  enter  "  and  see 
the  good  land,  which  was  (to  him)  on  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan, 
the  good  mountain  and  the  Lebanon,"  was  not  accepted,  for  the  well 
known  reasons  several  times  recorded  in  the  book  of  Numbers. 

If  we  even  search  all  books  of  antiquity,  or  modern  times,  we  shall 
probably  meet  with  none  which  is  so  impartially  written  as  the 
Pentateuch ;  which  presents  both  sides  of  a  picture  with  the  same 
faithfulness,  as  the  Hebrew  canon  does  ;  and  where  we  have  facts 
so  simply  given,  and  our  judgment  is  more  left  at  liberty  to  judge 
for  itself. 

This  very  carelessness  of  Moses  about  amplifications  and  excuses, 

*  Compare  this  with  the  lives  of  Hume  and  Gibbon,  written  by  themselves. 


THE  PENTATEUCH .  25 

proves  to  the  candid  mind,  that  his  subject  must  have  been  a  good 
one,  and  the  cause  he  advocated  righteous.  For  would  any  man, 
ushering  a  fable  into  the  world  as  truth,  take  so  little  trouble  to  per- 
suade the  world  to  receive  it,  as  Moses  has  done  ?  Would  he  not 
rather  try  to  produce  ingenious  arguments,  and  well  devised  artifices, 
to  make  his  laws  palatable  ?  Did  not  the  celebrated  Lycurgus,  I 
may  say,  cheat  the  Spartans  into  an  acceptance  of  his  code,  (if  any 
credit  can  be  given  to  the  Greek  writers,)  which  otherwise  would 
probably  never  have  been  tolerated,  as  the  supreme  laws  of  the 
land? 

But  as  there  may  perhaps  be  some  other  objections,  of  which  I 
am,  however,  altogether  ignorant,  I  will  just  state  one  instance  of 
the  great  disinterestedness  of  Moses.  The  honour  of  priesthood  was 
the  greatest  dignity  among  us,  for  under  certain  circumstances,  the 
priest  was  even  higher  than  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  nation ;  in- 
dependently of  religious  distinctions  and  other  privileges  attached  to 

that  order. If  Moses  now  had  been  ambitious,  or  eager  after 

power  and  glory,  he  would  certainly,  (all  along  supposing  he  was 
not  inspired,)  have  assumed  to  himself  and  his  descendants  the  high- 
est honour.  But  did  he  do  so  ?  No,  he  elevates  his  brother  and 
his  four  sons,  whilst  he  submits  himself  and  his  own  children  to 
Aaron's  superintendence  (see  several  passages  in  Numbers,  particu- 
larly chap.  viii.  v.  5 — 26).  No  other  conqueror,  no  other  legislator 
ever  acted  in  this  manner.  I  will  not  say,  that  they  did  assume  all  ho- 
nours and  power,  but  it  may  be  boldly  asserted  that  no  one  conqueror 
or  legislator  ever  excluded  himself  and  descendants  from  honour, 
power,  and  riches ! — It  is  well  known,  that  the  Levites  had  neither 
sovereign  power,  nor  immediate  property  like  the  other  tribes,  since 
all  their  property  was  dispersed  among  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and 
even  then  their  possessions  were  limited  within  a  mile  on  each  side  of 
their  cities.  Why  then  did  Moses  exercise  this  forbearance  unless 
directed  by  a  superior  power,  a  power  superior  to  his  will,  and  to 
whose  unlimited  sway  Moses,  no  less  than  every  other  member  of 
the  human  family,  was  obliged  to  submit  ?  Indeed,  it  was  his  word 
Moses  wrote,  by  his  command  Moses  acted,  and  his  almighty  name 
was  the  watchword  of  Moses  ! 

We  have  thus  seen  Moses  proved  to  be  the  writer  of  the  Pentateuch, 
seen  him  entitled  to  credibility  as  a  historian  in  general,  and  also 
4 


2tj  THE  PENTATEUCH. 

seen  him  proved  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  any  historian  of  ancient 
or  modern  times.  I  will  then  pause  here  and  in  the  succeeding 
chapters  endeavour  to  establish  the  truth  of  revelation,  not  alone  by 
Moses's  history,  but  also  by  our  national  existence  as  Jews,  and  as 
the  representatives  of  the  Israelites  to  whom  the  law  was  originally 
given,  and  the  fulfilment  of  prophecies  pronounced  by  Moses  and  his 
successors,  the  prophets  and  seers  of  Israel. — I  must  here  also  beg 
every  one  who  reads  these  pages,  to  consult  the  passages  in  the  Bible, 
to  which  1  may  refer,  and  take  them  in  connection  with  the  preceding 
and  following  verses,  to  see  that  the  interpretation  I  may  have  to 
give,  is  consonant  with  the  context,  as  1  do  not  wish  any  thing  to 
be  taken  upon  my  bare  assertion.  Should  he  in  the  succeeding 
part  of  this  little  volume  find  any  thing  startling  at  first  sight,  he 
will  do  well  to  reflect  before  he  condemns  my  conclusion;  at  all 
events  I  hope  to  receive  a  fair  hearing,  not  alone  from  Jews,  but  also 
from  Christians  and  free-thinkers. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    REVELATION ADAM — NOAH. 

I  deemed  it  altogether  unavoidable,  before  commencing  to  draw 
arguments  from  the  Pentateuch,  to  prove  at  first,  that  it  is  highly 
reasonable  to  believe  that  its  contents  are  true.  Having  accomplished 
this  task,  in  the  best  manner  I  could,  I  shall  now  resume  my  original 
proposition,  namely,  to  adduce  proof  in  favour  of  the  revelation  given 
to  Moses,  and  the  subsequent  adherence  of  the  Israelites  to  the  same, 
from  his  time  until  the  present  day. 

In  Chapter  I.  I  have  shown,  that  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude  that 
God  revealed  himself  to  mankind,  and  have  at  the  same  time  proved, 
that  the  contrary  opinion  would  accuse  the  Almighty  of  injustice  to- 
wards man. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  27 

But  I  hear  the  infidels  and  the  wavering  say  : — "  Most  true,  it 
would  be  unjust  to  suffer  the  world  to  be  without  a  rule  of  right ; 
but  was  it  just  in  God  to  do,  as  you  Jews  assert  him  to  have  done, 
to  give  a  law  to  you  only,  and  that  after  two  thousand  years  from 
the  creation  V 

Before  answering  this  question,  I  must  state  that  1  shall  in  the 
sequel  adopt  the  Mosaic  writings  as  universally  acknowledged,  and 
therefore  argue  from  them  without  stopping  to  prove  the  correctness 
of  every  passage,  having,  as  1  conceive,  already  amply  demonstrat- 
ed the  truth  of  the  whole.  Having  premised  this  much,  I 
have  to  state  that  the  above  objection  would  stand  good,  provided 
the  assertion  were  true,  that  no  revelation  was  known  to  mankind 
before  Moses ;  but,  it  can  be  shown  that  the  fact  is  otherwise.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  prove,  that  God  is  capable,  when  He  is  willing  to 
communicate  his  commandments  to  mankind ;  we  Jews  believe  him 
not  alone  capable  and  willing,  but  also  think  that  he  has  actually 
done  so,  and  we  shall  continue  in  this  our  belief,  till  some  one  can 
prove  that  no  revelation  was  given. — In  support  of  our  belief,  we 
may  cite  the  text  of  our  Holy  Writ,  where  this  is  so  plainly  written, 
as  to  leave  no  doubt  upon  our  minds  of  the  fact,  believing  at  the  same 
time,  that  the  contents  of  Holy  Writ  are  strictly  conformable  to 
truth. 

The  question  arises  then : — "  Can  it  be  proven  from  Holy  Writ, 
that  there  was  a  revelation  before  Moses,  and  were  there  any  in- 
spired men,  in  his  time,  among  other  nations,  besides  the  Jews  V 

To  prove  the  affirmative,  it  is  only  necessary  to  give  an  abstract 
of  the  history  of  the  world  until  Moses,  to  satisfy  the  greatest 
sceptic. 

From  nothing  did  the  Almighty  call  every  thing  into  existence, 
and  He  clothed  the  world  in  light  by  the  word  of  his  mouth,  as  Mo- 
ses so  beautifully  saith  :  "  And  God  said,  let  there  be  light,  and  there 
was  light."  After  organising  the  mighty  structure  of  the  star-clad 
heavens,  He  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  creation  created  man,  in  the  man- 
ner related  in  the  second  chapter  of  Genesis  ;  He  formed  his  body 
out  of  the  clay  of  the  earth,  but  unlike  other  animals  formed  in  the 
same  manner,  which  are  only  endowed  with  instinct,  He  imparted 
to  him  a  living  soul,  by  which  He  made  man  an  intellectual  being. 
He  gave  him  also  a  companion  to  cheer  him  during  his  hours  of  toil, 


28  THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION. 

and  to  share  his  prosperity. — Immediately  after  the  history  of  their 
creation,  we  find  God  imparting  his  will  to  the  man  whom  He  had 
made,  or  in  other  words,  He  revealed  himself  to  Adam.  But  oh,  cur 
sinful  propensities;  when  we  once  give  way  to  them,  when  we,  to 
avoid  hurting  the  feelings  of  those  we  love,  rather  sin  with  them  than 
give  them  reproof! — Eve  was  tempted  to  taste  the  forbidden  fruit  of 
the  tree  of  knowledge,  and  Adam  ate,  by  her  persuaded. — Adam  and 
his  wife  were  before  in  a  state  of  innocence  ;  but  now  their  inno- 
cence was  past,  they  had  offended  God  their  Creator.  Before,  the 
earth  spontaneously  yielded  them  its  fruit,  and  man  needed  only  to 
apply  himself  to  work,  to  gather  that  which  was  so  bounteously 
offered  him ;  but  now  labour  was  decreed  to  him  during  his  so- 
journ on  earth. — Before,  he  only  saw  his  wife  happy;  but  now 
he  was  obliged  to  see  her  often  writhing  under  severe  pain.  Before, 
he  could  listen  to  the  word  of  God  with  joy  and  elevation  of  heart  ; 
but  now  it  seemed  to  him  the  terrible  voice  of  thunder,  which  split- 
teth  cedars  and  maketh  the  wilderness  quake.  And  this  was  not  all, 
for  even  death — the  dissolution  of  the  body — that  noble  fabric  of  the 
Deity — became  man's  lot ;  and  not  even  the  descendants  of  Adam 
were  exempt  from  that  dread  decree,  and  a  mortal  father  begat  a 
mortal  son. 

But  was  the  decree  of  God  just,  in  punishing  so  trifling  a  trans- 
gression so  severely  1 — Yes !  yes !  It  was  not  that  the  act  in  itself 
was  so  very  heinous ;  but  the  disobedience  to  the  only  command  of 
God  given  to  Adam  constituted  the  offence.  Man,  by  this  act  had 
lost  his  innocence,  remorse  must  have  visited  him,  for  disobeying  so 
just  a  God,  and  all  his  life  would  inconsequence  have  been  embitter- 
ed. But  death  being  destined  to  close  at  last  his  career  on  earth,  and 
as  he  knew,  that  the  living  soul  within  him  could  not  die  with  his 
body,  he  had  an  incentive  to  virtue — to  regain  that  heaven  by 
repentance  and  good  deeds,  which  he  had  forfeited  by  disobedience. 
His  life,  before  his  fall,  was  free  from  earthly  cares,  indeed;  but  as 
he  existed  then  as  man — flesh  and  spirit — he  could  not  enjoy  that 
happiness,  which  he  can  be  heir  to  in  his  present  state,  when  he  by 
the  exercise  of  virtue,  or  repentance,  when  he  has  erred,  deserves 
that  happiness,  which  no  eye  has  seen  save  that  of  God  alone. — And 
the  Talmud  in  accordance  with  this  teaches,  and  inculcates  by 
examples  and  passages  drawn  from  the  prophets,  that  repentance, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  29 

sincere  repentance,  and  good  deeds  are  a  shield  against  punishment, 
and  guides  to  eternal  life. — Adam  had  fallen,  but  did  God  forsake 
him?     No,  He,  to  use  the  language  of  man,  sought  him  out,  and 
asked  of  him :     "  Where  art  thou '?"     He  did  not  at  once  upbraid 
him  with  his  ingratitude,  but  called  him  first,  to  give  him  an  oppor- 
tunity of  defending  himself.     But  who  can  justify  himself  against 
Thee,  O  Almighty  God  ?  who  trembleth  not  when  Thou  speakest  in 
thunder  ? — Adam  attempted  to  shift  the  fault  on  his  wife,  and  she 
was  indeed  more  guilty  than  himself,  and  her  tempter  more  guilty 
still;  and  in  the  same  manner  was  their  punishment  ordained, — thus 
giving  a  lesson  to  mankind,  that,  though  many  be  guilty  of  the  same 
offence,  minor  guilt  should  never  suffer  the  same  punishment  with 
consummate  crime.     But  great  is  the  Eternal's  goodness;  while  in 
justice  compelled  to  punish,  He  at  the  same  time  took  notice  of  the 
altered  state  of  mortals — altered  by  their  own  fault — and  provided 
them  with  covering,  since  the  consciousness  of  guilt  forbade  them  to 
appear  any  longer  to  each  other,  as  they  had  done  before,  because 
their  ideas  and  desires  were  no  longer  pure  and  unsullied.     Adam 
was  henceforward  banished  from  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  mourn  in 
his  toil  and  increased  labour,  over  his  fallen  state ;  and  the  Cherubim 
were  placed  at  the  entrance  of  the  garden,  to  guard  with  the  flaming 
sword  the  road  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  to  prevent  the  re-entrance  of 
man,  till  being  purified  by  a  holy  life  and  submission  to  the  will  of 
his  Maker,  he  be  worthy  again  of  a  state  of  unmixed  pleasure  and 
uninterrupted  enjoyment. 

Though  it  is  not  stated  in  express  language,  it  must  nevertheless 
be  inferred,  that  partial  revelation,  or  to  speak  more  intelligibly,  a 
limited  number  of  laws,  were  given  to  Adam  and  his  immediate 
descendants.  For  we  hear  God  reproving  Cain  for  the  murder  of 
his  brother,  and  even  speaking  to  him  of  sin,  and  of  man's  power  to 
conquer  his  passions,  and  to  do  good,  when  he  will.  (Gen.  iv.  7.) 
Cain  was  severely  punished  for  his  crime ;  and  would  God  have  pun- 
ished him  if  he  had  not  known  that  the  act  he  was  committing  was 
sinful  1  Would  that  be  justice  ?— We  are  therefore  forced  to  admit, 
that  God  had  imparted  some  of  the  civil  institutions  at  least  to  the 
first  men,  for  their  government. — In  further  confirmation  of  this 
point,  we  may  adduce  the  example  of  Hannoch  (Enoch),  who  is  said 
"  to  have  walked  with  God"  (acted  as  He  desired);  and  how  could 


30  THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION. 

Hannoch  act  so,  if  he  had  not  been  certified  of  the  will  of  God  7 — 
Noah  was  to  admit  into  the  ark  seven  pair  of  all  clean  animals  and 
two  only  of  unclean  ones ;  now  what  criterion  did  he  have  to  distin- 
guish between  the  two  kinds,  without  revelation. 

I  am  free  to  confess,  that  these  inferences  will  not  prove  any  thing 
positive,  though  they  be  ever  so  ingenious ;  but  we  have  more  solid 
ground  to  stand  on  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  Genesis,  where  we  see 
God  giving  laws  to  Noah  and  his  children.  The  world  had  been 
overflowed  ;  all  men,  save  eight,  had  been  swept  off  from  the  face  of 
the  earth ;  and  when  the  flood  had  subsided,  we  see  the  Father  of  all, 
either  kindly  renewing  the  old,  or  giving  altogether  new  command- 
ments, for  the  regulation  of  the  conduct  of  the  children  of  Adam. 

But  when  men  again  began  to  multiply,  they  soon  forgot  the  God 
who  had  made  them ;  ambitious  of  renown,  they  built  a  city  and  a 
high  tower,  resolved  to  dwell  there,  and  thus  prevent  their  being 
dispersed  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  when  God  had  decreed  other- 
wise. To  frustrate  their  design  therefore,  He  changed  their  speech, 
so  that  no  one  understood  the  language  of  the  other,  and  thus  they 
were  compelled  to  relinquish  their  building,  and  seek  homes  in  the 
different  quarters  of  the  globe.* — Men  soon  after  settled  in  commu- 
nities, those  descended  from  one  man,  or  one  family,  in  the  same 
neighbourhood,  and  adopted  such  laws  for  their  government,  as 
suited  their  fancy.  But  they  soon  forgot — because  they  soon 
neglected — the  word  of  their  Creator — they  no  more  remembered 
the  dreadful  scourge  of  the  flood,  being  secured  by  God's  own  word 
against  the  recurrence  of  that  calamity — they  forgot  that  they 
themselves  had  been  punished  for  their  pride  and  arrogance ;  they 
became  rebellious  against  God's  majesty,  and  began  to  worship  idols, 
and  bowed  to  the  work  of  their  own  hands.  Some  adored  the  sun 
and  the  whole  host  of  heaven,  whilst  others  even  worshipped  the 
crocodile,  the  ox,  and  the  ibis. — A  man  distinguished  himself  in  war, 
or  slew  a  monster  that  infested  a  district,  immediately  the  bards 
chanted  his  praise — he  was  made  the  lord  paramount  of  his  country - 


*The  very  name  of  the  city  (Babel)  is  an  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Moses' 
account,  for  the  Hebrew  verb  Bahlole  or  Bole  signifies  to  mix,  and  this  word  is 
the  rootof  *733,  where  only  the  first  letter  is  doubled.  (See  also  Gen.  chap, 
xi.  v.  9.) 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  31 

men — who,  as  his  subjects,  fell  down  in  the  dust  before  him — and 
his  descendants  declared  him  a  god,  and  filled  his  altars  with  the  blood 
of  men ;  and  thus  tyranny  spread  at  the  same  time  with  the  growth 
of  superstition. 

Such  a  race  was  not  worthy  of  receiving  the  pure  and  holy  law  of 
the  pure  and  holy  Eternal.  What,  are  those,  who,  forgetful  of  God's 
first  and  solemn  commandment  to  Noah,  slay  their  fellow  beings  as 
sacrifices  to  their  idols — are  they,  we  say,  fit  to  receive  the  word, 
which  is  as  pure  as  the  bright  flame?  Would  such  men,  speak, 
philosophers !  if  you  can,  be  a  fit  depository  for  the  law  of  God  ? — 
Where  then  is  the  injustice,  in  God's  not  promulgating  the  whole 
law  at  this  early  period  of  the  world  ? — 

But  let  us  turn  from  the  sickening  spectacle,  where  man  is  not 
much  elevated  above  the  brute,  and  let  us  look  upon  a  brighter 
scene.  When  danger  is  the  most  pressing,  help  is  frequently  near- 
est ;  and  so  even  was  it  in  the  person  of  our  ancestor  of  glorious 
memory,  who  arose  the  messenger  of  truth  and  piety,  when  wicked- 
ness was  spreading  fast  and  threatened  to  shroud  every  thing  in 
gloom — Every  one  acquainted  with  sacred  history  knows,  that  1 
speak  of  the  peaceful,  unpresuming  shepherd — Abram,  who  born  of 
idolatrous  parents  acknowledged  in  infancy  even,  as  tradition  tells, 
the  name  of  the  Most  High,  and  even  suffered  for  the  sanctification 
of  the  God  of  his  salvation.  He  placed  his  trust  in  the  Rock  of  ages — 
and,  happy  patriarch  !  thy  hope  was  not  misplaced,  thy  expectations 
were  not  in  vain ;  for  thy  faith  was  recorded  on  high,  thy  sufferings 
were  none  of  them  forgotten,  and  amply  wast  thou  rewarded,  when 
the  voice  commanded  thee  to  leave  thy  father's  house ;  though  to 
leave  kindred  and  friends  must  have  been  painful  to  thy  feeling 
bosom,  yet  was  it  sufficient  compensation  to  thee,  to  have  heard  the 
voice  of  Him,  who  created  the  world  by  his  word.  Thou  didst  obey 
his  word  and  wentest  forth  into  a  strange  land,  and  great  was  thy 
reward ! — May  all  thy  descendants  thus  follow  thee  to  obey  God  and 
to  love  Him,  that  they  all  may  with  thee  rise  from  the  ashes  to 
everlasting  happiness,  in  the  presence  of  the  God  of  Hosts.  Amen ! 


32 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION ABRAHAM. 

When  Abram  was  ordered  to  leave  his  father's  house,  he  had  already 
reached  his  seventy-fifth  year ;  he  had  up  to  this  time  been  childless ; 
he  nevertheless  trusted  in  the  word  of  God,  by  which  he  had  been 
promised  riches,  children  and  a  good  name,  the  three  greatest  of 
earthly  blessings.  He  at  the  same  time  received  the  promise,  that 
he  should  be  the  object  of  blessing  to  all  nations.  Though,  as  has 
been  said,  he  was  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-five  childless,  he 
had  yet  full  confidence,  that  the  God,  whom  he  had  acknowledged  and 
worshipped  from  his  youth,  was  powerful,  willing  and  ready  to  keep 
his  promises.  Thus  strengthened  by  the  revelation  he  had  received, 
Abram  went  forth  into  a  land,  whose  name  he  had  not  even  heard, 
for  he  had  been  told  to  go  to  a  land,  which  God  would  show  him. 
But  soon  it  became  manifest  to  him,  that  the  country  then  inhabited 
by  the  Canaanites  was  the  land  of  his  destination,  and  the  land 
assigned  to  him  by  Divine  Providence  as  a  temporary  residence.  If 
we  enquire,  what  was  God's  motive  in  sending  Abram  forth  as  a 
wanderer?  we  will  find  the  answer  easy,  when  we  consider  the  acts 
of  Abram  during  his  travels.  In  several  places  he  erected  altars  for 
the  service  of  the  Most  High,  and  there  he  taught  the  world  to  know 
its  Creator  and  to  render  Him  adoration.  In  other  words,  Abram 
was  deputed  to  reveal  in  a  country,  where  the  terrible  Moloch  was 
worshipped,  the  sacred  truths  of  the  mysterious  Father,  who,  unknown, 
invisible  and  incomprehensible  to  us,  rules  us,  governs  us,  and  provides 
for  us.  No  doubt,  Abram  was  successful ;  and  we  in  fact  find,  that 
he  had  made  friends  among  the  chiefs  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Hebron,  then  called  Kiryath  Arbang,  and  Aner,  Eshkole  and  Mam- 
ray  are  mentioned,  as  men  in  league  with  Abram ;  and  can  it  be 
believed,  that  his  friends  should  have  been  ignorant  of  his  opinions  ? 
and  how  could  they,  knowing  his  opinions,  refrain  from  admiring  and 
adopting  them? 

The  Patriarch  had  not  dwell  long  in  Palestine,  when  he  was  again 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  33 

obliged  to  leave  this  land  of  his  sojournment,  and  pinched  by  famine, 
he  went  with  his  family  to  Egypt.  Here  he  acquired  large  posses- 
sions, after  which  he  returned  again  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  again 
proclaimed  the  unity  of  God. 

In  a  few  years  afterwards,  he  rescued  his  kinsman  Lot  from  his 
enemies,  and  brought  back  at  the  same  time  the  captured  property 
of  the  Sodomites.  He  then  also  received  the  blessing  of  the  king  of 
Salem,  (afterwards  Jerusalem,)  Malkyzedeck,  who  was  a  priest  to 
the  Most  High  God ;  but  he  refused  the  rich  presents  offered  him 
by  the  king  of  the  sinful  Sodom,  though  he  had  incurred  great  person- 
al risk,  in  recapturing  the  prisoners  and  the  property  taken  from  the 
five  confederated  cities.  Thus  setting  us  an  example,  that  good  ac- 
tions, to  be  really  good  and  worth  accepting,  should  be  done  without 
hope  of  emolument,  and  without  a  vain  ostentation  of  disinterested- 
ness, as  we  find  that  Abram  permitted  the  king  of  Sodom  to  reward 
his  followers,  though  he  refused  every  thing  for  himself. 

Abram's  hope  had  yet  been  delayed,  he  was  growing  old,  and  yet 
he  had  no  son  to  succeed  him ;  but  now,  soon  after  he  had  recap- 
tured Lot,  he  heard  again  the  voice  of  God  (in  a  vision)  tell  him,  that 
he  should  have  a  son  :  and  Abram  believed  it.  But  who  can  know 
the  decrees  of  God — understand  his  ultimate  views  before  they  are 
accomplished  ?  At  the  same  time  that  Abram  was  promised  a  large 
and  numerous  progeny,  he  was  informed  that  his  descendants  should 
be  wanderers  and  slaves  for  four  hundred  years ;  yet  he  repined  not, 
yet  he  feared  not,  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  evil  was  a  sure  pledge  of 
the  ultimate  fulfilment  of  the  good. 

Ishmael  had  been  born  since  that  event,  and  had  reached  his  thir- 
teenth year,  when  Abram,  at  that  time  ninety-nine  years  old,  heard 
again  the  word  of  God  revealed  to  him,  saying :  "  Walk  before  me, 
and  be  perfect."  His  constancy  was  now  again  probed — his  name 
changed  to  Abraham — and  he  himself  commanded  to  shed  the  blood 
of  the  covenant ;  he  was  also  promised  that  the  Almighty  would  ever 
be  his  God  and  Protector,  and  of  his  descendants  after  him,  on  con- 
dition that  they,  on  their  part,  should  observe  the  covenant  of  God, 
that  is,  to  circumcise  all  male  children  when  eight  days  old.  This 
covenant  was  to  be  'perpetual,  and  as  we,  the  Jews,  understand  this 
term  and  the  text  in  Genesis,  was  to  be  unchangeable* — God  also 
promised  Abraham  a  son  by  Sarah,  precisely  in  a  year  from  that 
5 


34  THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION. 

date.  Sarah  was  then  eighty-nine  years  old — but  the  decree  was 
fixed,  and  the  child  was  to  be  called  pnr  (Yitzchak)  Isaac,  com- 
memorative  of  thejo#*  Abraham  felt,  when  he  was  assured  of  the 
certainty  of  the  event. 

This  eventful  year  had  passed  away,  and  Abraham  and  Sarah 
were  rejoiced  with  the  birth  of  the  long  promised  child,  and  it  re- 
ceived the  name  which  God  had  ordained — Time  again  passed  on, 
and  the  word  of  God  again  went  forth  unto  Abraham — He  was  or- 
dered to  take  the  only  son  of  his  wife  Sarah,  his  dearly  beloved  Isaac, 
to  the  land  of  Moriah,  to  sacrifice  him  upon  one  of  those  mounts, 
which  yet  surround  Jerusalem.  Abraham  obeyed.  "  With  tearful  eye 
and  joyful  heart,"  as  the  Hebrew  poet  so  elegantly  says,  both  father 
and  son  prepared  themselves  to  fulfil  the  imperious  command  of  their 
God.  Did  they  repine?  did  they  murmur  ?  No— but  calmly  re- 
signed to  his  will,  they  were  ready  to  conform  strictly  to  the  pre- 
cept they  had  received.  The  altar  was  built,  the  fire  was  kindling, 
Isaac  lay  bound  upon  the  wood,  and  the  father — he  who  had  given 
him  being — was  grasping  the  knife  to  fulfil  the  last  part  of  the  man- 
date— when  behold,  a  voice,  the  voice  of  a  messenger  from  the  Lord, 
resounded  with  "  Abraham !  Abraham !"  the  knife  drops  by  his  side, 
and  he  listens  to  the  word  of  salvation  then  made  known :  "  Stretch 
not  thy  hand  out  against  the  youth,  do  him  no  harm,  for  now  I  know 
that  thou  fearest  God." 

"  Did  not" — asks  the  Deist,  "  did  not  God  previously  know,  how 
Abraham  would  act?  what  need  was  then  for  that  useless  parade?" 

True,  God,  the  searcher  of  hearts,  knew  Abraham's  mind,  knew 
also  his  entire  willingness  to  obey  all  the  commandments  known  to 
him;  but  the  world  was  to  be  convinced  and  instructed,  and  a  great 
deed  was  obliged  to  be  done  to  accomplish  this.  Amidst  all  the 
trials  of  Abraham,  previous  to  this  period,  we  do  not  find  any,  where 
he  was  compelled  to  make  any  great  personal  sacrifices,  which  in 
ordinary  human  foresight  might  not  have  been  supposed  to  yield 
him  ultimately  worldly  benefits ;  and  the  unbelievers  might  therefore 

*  The  Hebrew  word  pn¥  signifies  to  laugh,  smile,  play,  feel  joy,  &c.;  and  it 
is  said,  Gen.  ch.  17,  v.  17.  "And  Abraham  fell  upon  his  face  pnVl  and  felt  joy, 
and  from  this  joy,  felt  by  Abraham,  emanated  the  commandment,  to  name  the 
child  of  promise  ptlV  from  which  the  English  Isaac  is  derived,  in  the  same 
manner  as  many  other  names,  are  from  the  original  Hebrew. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  35 

have  said,  that  Abraham's  piety  was  not  strong  enough  to  enable 
him  to  obey  the  will  of  God,  whose  worship  he  taught,  when 
his  all  was  at  stake.  For  this  reason  the  command  was  given,  that 
Abraham  should  offer  up  his  son,  him,  whom  he  loved  more  than 
himself,  whom  God  had  previously  declared  should  be  the  father  of 
the  great  nation,  who  was  also  to  be  the  repository  of  God's  cove- 
nant. Who  could  now  say  with  propriety  that  the  doctrines  of  Abra- 
ham were  preached  for  the  sake  of  interest  or  self-aggrandizement  ? 
No  one. — But  also  instruction  was  conveyed  ;  first,  that  we  should 
be  always  ready  to  sacrifice  our  own  lives,  when  necessary,  for  the 
sanctification  of  God,  rather  than  transgress  the  law ;  secondly,  that 
we  are  to  submit  with  the  utmost  resignation,  to  the  decrees  of  Heaven, 
and  that  it  is  unbecoming  in  us  to  question  the  justice  of  God's  dis- 
pensations ;  and  thirdly,  that  God  desires  not,  but  on  the  contrary, 
detests  that  one  man  should  sacrifice  the  other,  pretending  to  bring  an 
acceptable  offering  to  the  Deity. — It  is,  1  presume,  well  known  that 
the  heathens  then  and  afterwards  thought  (and  this  belief  yet  ex- 
ists to  the  present  day)  human  blood  to  be  the  most  acceptable* 
offering  to  their  idols ;  we  find  therefore  that  God  by  an  example 
prohibited  such  a  practice  in  his  holy  temple,  which  should  never 
be  defiled  by  murder  and  iniquity. 

Was  then,  1  ask,  the  intended  sacrifice  an  idle  pageant  ?  Surely 
not.  And  God's  blessing  was  also  given  both  to  father  and  son, 
that  all  nations  were  to  be  blessed  in  their  descendants ;  which  means, 
that  through  their  descendants  the  word  of  God,  which  in  itself  is  a 
blessing,  was  to  spread  over  all  the  earth  and  make  all  mankind 
happy. — This  promise  has  been  fulfilled  already,  in  a  great  measure. 
The  sacred  light  of  revelation  was  first  lit  up  in  the  wilderness  of 
Arabia,  and  from  thence  it  has  commenced  spreading  all  over  the 
globe.  In  every  country  some,  at  least,  of  the  scattered  seed  of 
Abraham  are  to  be  found;  their  beautiful  code  of  laws  has  been  par- 
tially adopted  in  many  places,  and  millions  of  human  beings  are 
drinking  the  waters  of  revelation,  though  they  derive  it  from  differ - 

*  There  is  a  curious  passage  in  Hoshea,  chap.  13,  v.  2,  which  proves  how 
horrible  the  practices  of  idolatry  were  even  in  his  time;  for  he  says:  "  To  them 
(the  people)  they  (the  priests)  say :  Those  who  sacrifice  men  shall  (or  are  worthy 
to)  kiss  the  calves,"  (in  Bethel  and  Dan,)  and  this  speaks  volumes  (even  without 
any  comment)  in  favour  of  the  enobling  virtues  of  revelation. 


36  THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION. 

ent  and  polluted  channels.  Upon  the  solid  rock  of  our  law  have  the 
followers  of  the  Notzry  and  Mahomed  built  their  systems,  and  though 
in  part  erroneous,  yet  do  these  systems  already  acknowledge  the 
true  God,  his  revelation,  and  his  supreme  rule.  May  we  not  hope, 
that  the  time  will  speedily  arrive,  when  not  alone  the  Nazarenes  and 
Mahomedans,  but  all  the  other  families  of  the  earth  also  will  hasten 
to  the  banner  raised  on  the  mountains,  range  themselves  behind  the 
ranks  of  the  true  believers  and  exclaim  : 

The  Eternal  is  the  God  !   The  Eternal  is  the  God  !  ? 
O  happy  time !   O  blessed  hour !  when  our  eyes  shall  behold  the 
restoration  of  Zion,  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  temple  on 
Moriah,  and  the  reassembling  of  the  tribes  of  Israel ! 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE    HISTORY    OF    REVELATION ISAAC. 

Abraham  had  seen  his  son  Isaac  married  to  his  brother's  grand- 
daughter, and  seen  him  in  possession  of  all  earthly  blessings :  when 
he  was  called  hence,  to  shine  in  a  world  more  bright  than  this,  to 
receive  the  reward  for  a  long  life  of  action  and  usefulness.  When 
living,  even  the  heathens  called  him  "  a  prince  of  God,"  thus  ac- 
knowledging his  divine  mission ;  and  dead — his  memory  has  ever 
been  revered,  both  by  his  descendants  and  those  who  have  joined 
them. — After  Abraham's  death,  Isaac  followed  his  footsteps,  and  like 
his  father,  he  walked  humbly  before  the  Lord.  The  first,  who  was 
at  eight  days  old  joined  in  the  covenant,  he  lived  to  an  age  of  a  hun- 
dred and  eighty  years,  in  the  same  manner,  as  unostentatious  as 
his  father  had  done  before  him  ;  and  though  wealthy  and  much  es- 
teemed, he  yet  knew  that  all  earthly  pomp  is  vain,  and  that  labour 
is  to  man  the  sweetest  of  all  employments.  Thus  we  find  him  en- 
gaged in  agriculture,  a  careful  husbandman  and  a  kind  neighbour, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  37 

even  to  those  who  had,  without  any  good  cause,  offended,  envied  and 
even  expelled  him  from  their  country.  And  as  soon  as  they  came  to 
him  as  friends,  he  immediately  forgot  all  animosity,  and  made  the 
promises  they  desired  of  him.  Who  will  not  admire  so  benevolent  a 
being,  who  forgets  an  offence,  whenever  the  offender  seems  to  feel 
contrition  1 

Isaac  also  followed  his  father  in  other  respects,  for  he  also  erected 
altars  and  taught  the  worships  of  God  :  and  to  him  was  repeated  the 
promise  made  to  Abraham,  that  his  descendants  should  be  blest  for 
Abraham's  sake ;  and  thus  we  have  already  one  reason,  why  the 
Jews  were  chosen  to  be  God's  people. 

But  even  on  the  brightest  summer's  day,  the  heavens  are  often 
darkened  with  clouds,  and  so  was  it  even  with  Isaac.  His  two  sons, 
his  only  children,  were  at  variance ;  he  himself  had  grown  blind ; 
and  to  add  to  his  calamity,  Esau  had  married  two  women,  who 
caused  him  and  the  meek  Rebecca  much  heart-burning  by  their 
wickedness.  His  misfortunes  did  not  rest  here  :  on  account  of  the 
blessing,  which  his  younger  son  Jacob  received,  he  was  obliged  to 
part  with  him,  and  many  a  year  passed  over  his  head,  bereft  of  his 
child,  who  had  to  dwell  among  strangers.  But  at  length  the  sky 
again  brightened,  and  pleasure  revisited  the  Patriarch's  dwelling. 
Jacob  returned  from  Mezopotamia  with  a  numerous  and  blooming 
family,  all  children  of  righteousness,  to  cheer  Isaac's  declining  years, 
— the  brothers  had  been  previously  reconciled ;  and  thus,  after  years 
of  trouble  and  affliction,  the  aged  father  had  around  him  peace  and 
contentment,  and  he  also,  like  his  excellent  father  Abraham,  laid 
down  his  head  in  the  grave,  honoured  and  respected,  happy  in  having 
fulfilled  his  task,  and  glorying  in  having  proclaimed  the  wonders  of 
the  Creator  of  the  universe. 


38 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   HISTORY    OP  REVELATION — JACOB. 

Was  the  constancy  of  Abraham  tested  by  sufferings,  was  Isaac's 
love  proved  by  his  willingness  to  die,  because  he  supposed  his  God 
required  it  ?  Jacob  was  no  less  tested,  no  less  did  he  by  his  example 
teach  that  they  who  confide  in  God  are  never  forsaken. — We  have 
seen  that  Abraham  received  a  revelation,  and  after  him,  Isaac ; 
and  as  soon  as  Jacob  became  a  wanderer  from  his  father's  house, 
we  see  him  also  receiving  the  promise  of  God  of  the  future  greatness 
of  his  progeny,  when  he,  the  son  and  grandson  of  wealthy  men,  who 
were  so  powerful,  that  princes  even  sought  their  alliance,  was  obliged 
to  sleep  in  the  open  air  with  the  hard  rock  for  his  pillow.  Here  we 
have  another  example,  if  any  were  necessary,  that  God  is  no  res- 
pecter of  persons,  that  to  Him  the  rich  and  the  poor  are  equal ;  that 
only  the  righteous,  though  poor  and  needy,  is  to  Him  acceptable. — 
We  therefore  find  it  recorded,  that  Jacob  sleeping  in  the  open  air, 
upon  that  spot  where  Bethel  was  afterwards  built,  received  a  con- 
firmation of  the  promise  previously  made  to  Abraham  and  Isaac,  and 
that  this  prophecy  should  not  be  fulfilled  in  the  person  and  descend- 
ants of  his  brother  Esau,  but  in  his  own  person  and  descendants. — 
When  Abraham,  besides  Isaac  had  Ishmael  and  other  children,  when 
Isaac,  besides  Jacob  had  Esau ;  Jacob  had  not  one  among  his  nu- 
merous children,  who  was  not  acceptable  to  his  God  and  Protector. 

Like  his  father  and  grandfather,  Jacob  erected  altars  to  the  true 
God,  and  thus  spread  the  light  of  revelation  in  the  countries  to  the 
east  and  north  of  Palestine,  which  before  had  been  made  known  to 
the  west  and  south  only.  Though  Jacob  was  obliged  to  live  for  up- 
wards of  twenty  years  amid  a  people,  who  knew  not  the  worship  of 
God,  we  yet  see  him  constant  in  his  faith,  see  him  teaching  his 
wives  and  children  to  love  and  fear  their  Maker ;  and  not  alone 
those  who  were  connected  with  him  by  the  ties  of  relationship,  but 
also  all  others  who  were  about  him,  acted  as  he  himself  had  taught 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  39 

them  ;  for  in  chap.  35,  v.  4,  of  Genesis*  we  read,  that  upon  Jacob's 
requisition,  all  the  members  of  his  household  delivered  up  whatever 
was  in  their  possession,  which  in  any  manner  could  have  been  used 
for  the  worship  of  idols. 

After  a  long  separation  from  his  father,  Jacob  was  at  last  permit- 
ted to  revisit  Isaac's  house ;  but  he  was  not  allowed  to  remain  there 
long  undisturbed,  for  sufferings  and  troubles  again  overtook  him, 
when  he,  as  he  thought,  had  sat  himself  down  in  quiet  for  the  short 
remnant  of  his  days.  Thus  giving  mankind  a  lesson,  which  cannot 
be  too  often  called  to  mind  :  "  that  not  in  this  world  must  the  righteous 
expect  the  reward  of  his  good  deeds,  for  he  is  here  only  in  the  out- 
building, where  he  is  to  prepare  himself  to  enter  the  palace."")"  Also 
the  following  useful  moral  may  be  drawn  from  Jacob's  patience  and 
resignation,  and  his  perseverance  to  serve  God  in  all  his  severe  and 
manifold  calamities :  "  that  man  is  not  to  serve  God  with  a  view  of 
being  rewarded,  but  to  obey  his  commandments,  and  practise  virtue 
independently  of  all  views  of  emolument,  gain,  or  honour,":}:  and 
"  that  in  spite  of  calamities  and  reverses,  we  should  never  swerve 
from  the  path  of  right,  for  the  practice  of  virtue  will  in  itself  be  suffi- 
cient to  kindle  a  light  within,  when  even  all  around  is  gloom  and 
darkness. "§  Again — we  often  see  the  wicked  prosper,  and  the  pious 
suffer,  for  what  serves  virtue  then,  what  avails  piety,  if  with  this  life 
our  existence  were  ended  ?  But  this  is  only  the  time  for  action,  and 
when  our  body  is  enclosed  within  the  grave,  then  will  the  soul  reap 
the  harvest  of  its  righteousness : 

Jacob  had  not  been  returned  more  than  eight  or  nine  years  from 
his  long  exile,  when  dissention  among  his  children  became  to  him 
the  fruitful  source  of  the  greatest  mental  sufferings,  with  which  he 
had  hitherto  been  afflicted.  Joseph,  being  the  eldest  son  of  his 
beloved  Rachel,  was  distinguished  by  his  father  by  a  superior  dress 

*  Presuming  that  the  greater  number  of  my  readers  are  acquainted  with  the 
Pentateuch,  and  as  the  major  part  of  my  arguments,  unless  otherwise  stated, 
are  drawn  from  this  holy  book,  I  hope  to  be  excused,  for  not  in  every  instance 
denoting  the  particular  passage,  from  which  these  arguments  are  derived,  as  I 
do  not  wish  to  load  the  body  of  the  text  with  long  quotations  and  too  frequent 
references,  which  must  ever  be  tiresome  and  perplexing. 

t  Aboth,  chap.  iv.     t  Ibi.  chap.  i. 

§  For  further  confirmation  of  this  see  Job,  chap.  i.  and  ii. 


40  THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION. 

from  the  other  children :  this  vexed  them,  and  envy  soon  ripened  into 
hatred,  particularly  when  they  found,  that  Joseph  had  the  weakness  to 
speak  of  their  failings,  which,  to  judge  from  their  otherwise  virtuous 
conduct,  must  have  been  trifling,  to  Jacob.  From  the  short  account 
contained  in  the  37th  chapter  of  Genesis  we  can  draw  the  following 
moral  lessons ;  first,  that  it  is  dangerous  for  a  father  to  have  an  osten- 
sible favourite  amongst  his  children,  even  when  his  preference  is 
founded  upon  the  acknowleged  superiority  of  the  favoured  child ; 
secondly,  that  it  is  dangerous  to  be  a  tale-bearer,  even  if  the  tales  re- 
late but  to  trifles,  for  the  detection  of  this  failing  is  sure  to  be  followed 
by  the  detestation  of  the  slanderer ;  and  lastly,  that  we  ought  to  be 
very  careful,  how  we  suffer  envy  or  malice  to  approach  us,  for  if  we 
once  give  them  a  resting  place  in  our  bosom,  we  shall  soon  be  hurried 
on  to  commit  unjustifiable  actions. 

Jacob's  other  sons  had  been  gone  from  home  for  some  time  to 
follow  their  occupation  as  shepherds,  and  Jacob  determined  to  send 
Joseph  after  them  to  enquire  about  the  welfare  of  his  brothers  and 
the  well-being  of  the  flock.  No  sooner  had  Joseph  approached  his 
brothers,  than  they  determined  to  kill  him,  and  to  justify  homicide 
by  falsehood.  But  Reuben  dissuaded  them,  but  in  his  absence  Judah 
advised  to  sell  Joseph  to  a  caravan  of  Ishmaelites  just  passing  by. 
He  was  obeyed,  and  Joseph,  then  seventeen  years  old,  was  sold  as  a 
slave,  and  his  father  was  left  to  mourn  for  him  for  the  space  of 
twenty -two  years. 

Joseph  was  in  the  mean  time  carried  to  Mitzrayim  (Egypt),  and 
sold  to  an  officer  of  the  Pharaoh,*  by  the  name  of  Poteephar,  who 
was  so  pleased  with  his  new  servant,  that  he  made  him  his  steward. 
How  long  Joseph  continued  in  his  new  station,  we  cannot  precisely 
determine ;  but  it  could  hardly  have  been  above  two  years,  when  his 
mistress  attempted  to  induce  him  to  commit  adultery,  which  Joseph 
refused  to  do,  and  gave  as  a  reason,  that  he,  by  compliance,  would 
"  sin  against  God";  thus  we  have  another  proof,  that  some  at  least 
of  the  civil  laws  of  our  code  were,  even  before  Moses,  known  to  the 
patriarchs,  who  were  scrupulous  in  observing  them. — When  Joseph's 

*  Pharaoh  or  rather  Parngo  was  the  Hebrew  name  of  the  kings  of  Egypt, 
but  was  not  the  particular  name  of  any  one  king;  as  at  the  present  time  the 
sovereign  of  the  Turks  is  called  the  Soltan,  or  the  emperor  of  Russia  the  Czar. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  41 

mistress  saw  that  he  would  not  be  the  slave  of  her  desires,  her  love 
for  him  was  turned  into  hatred,  and  she  artfully  accused  him  to  her 
husband  of  an  attempt  to  insult  her,  while  he  was  absent.  The 
master  became  enraged  and  threw  Joseph  in  prison,  where  he  linger- 
ed for  many  years  a  captive  and  a  slave.  But  even  in  this  apparently 
forlorn  condition  he  was  not  without  a  friend,  or  altogether  miserable; 
for  the  superintendent  of  the  prison  took,  by  the  will  of  God,  a  fancy 
to  Joseph,  and  gave  him  the  appointment  of  an  overseer  of  the 
prisoners'  work. — Two  years  before  his  release  he  interpreted  the 
dreams  of  two  household  officers  of  Pharaoh,  who  had  been  one  year 
in  prison.  Joseph  begged  the  one,  whose  dream  he  had  favourably 
interpreted,  to  remember  him  ;  but  he  forgot  his  companion  in  cap- 
tivity, when  he  was  prosperous,  thus  verifying  David's  saying  :  "put 
not  your  trust  in  princes."  At  the  expiration,  however,  of  the  above 
mentioned  time,  when  Pharaoh  had  a  dream,  of  which  no  one  of  his 
sages  could  give  the  desired  interpretation,  his  cup-bearer  at  last 
remembered  Joseph,  who  was  forthwith  liberated  from  prison  and 
brought  before  the  King.  Joseph's  modesty  and  wisdom  quite  cap- 
tivated Egypt's  ruler,  and  he  raised  him  (so  was  God's  will)  from  a 
state  of  servitude  to  the  second  dignity  in  the  empire  ;  and  Joseph 
became  the  viceroy  of  the  land.  Though  he  now  stood  at  the 
highest  pinnacle  of  human  glory,  he  yet  sighed  for  his  father,  and 
his  father's  household,  of  whose  fate  he  was  altogether  ignorant. — At 
length  the  severe  famine,  which  raged  both  in  the  land  of  Canaan 
and  Mitzrayim,  compelled  the  brothers  of  Joseph  to  resort  to  the 
granaries,  which  he  had  provided  for  the  approaching  scarcity  fore- 
told by  him  to  Pharaoh. — His  brothers  came  before  him,  and  bowed, 
or  rather  prostrated*  themselves,  before  their  brother,  who  imme- 
diately recognized  them,  though  they  had  not  the  least  recollection 
of  him. 

He  sought  a  quarrel  with  them,  called  them  spies,  and  would  not, 
so  he  pretended,  suffer  them  to  depart,  till  one  of  them  had  brought 
Benjamin  to  him,  who  had  remained  behind  with  their  father.  He 
had  them  locked  up  for  three  days,  and  then  permitted  them  to  return, 
after  having  taken  Simeon  and  bound  him  in  their  presence. — The 

*  This  custom  is  yet  observed,  on  approaching  a  king,  in  Turkey  and  other 
parts  of  the  East. 
6 


42  THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION. 

reader  would  do  well  to  peruse  the  whole  transaction  in  the  elegant 
language  of  the  Bible,  where  we  find  Reuben  reproving  his  brothers 
for  the  violence  they  had  committed  against  the  child  (Joseph)  and 
them,  justifying  the  judgment  of  God  and  the  punishment  they  then 
suffered  for  their  inhumanity  to  Joseph.  No  wonder  then  that  he 
wept,  no  wonder  that  he  felt  moved. 

The  nine  brothers  accompanied  by  Benjamin  returned  to  Egypt 
after  the  lapse  of  a  considerable  time,  and  brought  back  the  money, 
which  they  had  found  in  their  bags  on  their  return  home,  to  restore 
it  to  the  superintendent  of  the  magazines,  to  whose  treasure  they 
supposed  it  to  belong. — When  Joseph  saw  Benjamin  he  was  obliged 
to  leave  the  room  and  to  withdraw  into  his  private  chamber,  where 
his  full  heart  was  eased  by  tears ;  but  he  returned  soon  and  dined 
with  his  brothers. — Before  they  were  ready  to  depart,  he  ordered 
his  superintendent,  to  contrive  to  put  a  silver  cup,  which  had  been 
on  the  table,  in  the  bag  of  Benjamin,  then  to  pursue  them,  after  they 
had  left  the  city,  and  when  upon  searching  he  should  have  found  the 
cup,  to  bring  Benjamin  (as  the  supposed  thief)  back  with  him.  The 
officer  obeyed.  But  the  noble  brothers  disdained  to  escape  and 
suffer  their  youngest  brother  to  remain  behind  a  slave;  and  the 
magnanimous  Yehudah  (Judah)  stept  forward  to  offer  himself  in 
Benjamin's  place.  "  For,"  said  he,  "  thy  servant  (himself)  has  been 
a  security  for  the  youth  to  my  father,  saying,  *  if  I  bring  him  not  to 
thee,  then  will  I  have  sinned  against  my  father  for  ever.'  And  now 
let  thy  servant  remain,  instead  of  the  youth,  a  slave  to  my  lord,  and 
let  the  youth  go  up  with  his  brothers.  For  how  could  I  go  up  to 
my  father,  without  having  the  youth  with  me  ?  I  never  could  witness 
the  distress,  which  would  overwhelm  my  father." 

Such  generous  self-devotion  moved  Joseph,  his  feelings  were  too 
strong  almost  for  utterance,  he  ordered  all  strangers  from  his  presence, 
and  then  cried  out:  "  I  am  Joseph !  lives  my  father  yet?" 

The  children  of  Israel  hurried  away  from  Egypt,  to  tell  their 
father  that  Joseph  yet  lived,  and  that  he  was  regent  over  all  the  land 
of  Egypt ;  but  the  heart  once  inured  to  sorrow  does  not  even  wish 
any  joy  to  rob  it  of  its  sacred  grief:  it  knows  how  short  lived  all 
pleasure  is,  and  is  fearful  of  some  worse  calamity  yet  to  come,  and 
then  it  can  hardly  admit  any  sudden  gladness,  because  it  is  doubting 
its  reality  ;  and  so  did  Jacob  too  remain  incredulous,  till  he  had  seen 


THE  HISTORY  OF  REVELATION.  43 

the  vehicles,  which  Joseph  had  sent  for  his  accommodation.  Then 
indeed  was  his  joy  unbounded,  and  from  a  full  heart  he  spoke; 
"Enough,  my  son  Joseph  lives  yet ;  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I 
die." — Thus  it  came  to  pass,  that  Israel  went  with  his  whole  family 
to  Egypt;  and  in  Beare  Shebang  (Berseba)  God  revealed  himself  to 
Jacob  and  told  him,  to  go  without  fear  to  Egypt,  for  He  would  go  down 
with  him,  and  bring  him  also  back  again, — meaning :  that  neither 
Jacob's  body  nor  his  descendants  should  for  ever  remain  buried  in 
Egypt,  but  that  both  should  be  brought  out  again  from  that  land. 

Thus  fortified  by  the  word  of  God,  our  glorious  ancestor  arrived 
in  Egypt,  where  he  was  soon  locked  in  the  embrace  of  his  long-lost 
son;  where  he  was  soon  taught  to  forget  all  his  previous  sufferings. 
Joseph,  with  the  permission  of  Pharaoh,  gave  his  family  land,  in  the 
district  of  Goshen,  where  he  supplied  them  with  all  the  necessaries 
of  life ;  and  the  children  of  the  true  faith  became  inmates  of  the  land 
of  the  children  of  Cham. 

Jacob  had  lived  seventeen  years  in  Egypt,  when  he  found  his  end 
fast  approaching ;  he  therefore  assembled  Jiis  children  around  him, 
and  giving  them  his  blessing  and  admonitions,  he  foretold  that  which 
should  happen  to  them  till  the  latest  posterity.  He  prophesied 
of  the  Messiah,  who  is  to  descend  from  Judah,  and  thus  spoke  the 
dying  saint : 

"  Not  for  ever  shall  the  sceptre  depart  from  Judah,  nor  the  law- 
giver from  his  descendants,  for  Shiloh  shall  come,  and  unto  him  shall 
the  nations  assemble." 

And  surely  the  time  will  come,  when  unto  the  teacher,  the  prince 
David,  all  nations  will  assemble  to  worship  the  only  true  God,  the 
Father  of  all,  and  shield  of  Israel.  The  sceptre  has  departed,  and  no 
more  does  the  law-giver  reside  in  Jerusalem ;  but  the  sceptre  must 
be  restored,  and  the  crown  will  return  again  to  its  former  dwell- 
ing !— 

When  Jacob  had  blessed  his  children,  he  composed  himself  in  his 
bed,  and  departed  this  life,  to  be  an  angel  in  heaven,  and  to  shine 
foremost  amidst  the  saints,  whose  resting  place  is  at  the  foot  of  the 
throne  of  glory. 


44 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE   LEGATION    OF  MOSES. 


In  the  foregoing  pages  it  has  been  proven  to  the  conviction  of  any 
man,  who  feels  no  abhorrence  against  being  convinced,  that  a  reve- 
lation existed  before  Moses,  and  though  the  law,  we  now  have,  be  the 
most  perfect,  yet  could  not  the  Syrians,  Babylonians,  Egyptians, 
and  Canaanites  excuse  their  gross  wickedness,  by  pleading  igno- 
rance of  the  divine  will ;  for  they  had  ample  means  of  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  the  laws  given  to  the  patriarchs,  if  they  had  but  de- 
sired it  j  for  wherever  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  went,  they  taught 
the  word  of  God.  And  even  if  they  had  not  done  this,  their  recti- 
tude, chastity,  and  hospitality  ought  to  have  been  admired,  and  not 
alone  admired,  but  also  imitated.  Instead  of  this,  all  the  horrors  of 
murder,  human  sacrifice,  and  incest,  were  practised  by  these  nations 
to  an  almost  incredible  extent.  Who  would  believe,  that  mothers 
carried  their  children  to  the  valley  of  Moloch,  and  stood  by  while 
the  poor  innocents  were  roasted  alive  on  the  heated  arms  of  the  bra- 
zen image  1  Can  it  be  credited,  that  the  crocodile  received  the  babe 
out  of  the  arms  of  its  mother?  Would  it  be  believed,  if  the  fact 
were  not,  alas,  too  well  authenticated,  that  the  women  were  often 
the  wives  of  their  own  sons  1 — I  will  not  mention  the  images  of  in- 
cest, for  the  brief  catalogue  of  crime  is  already  revolting  enough, 
without  any  further  addition. 

The  days  of  happiness  and  tranquillity  for  the  descendants  of  Jacob 
were  over ;  and  Joseph — who  before  he  died,  had  ordered  his  re- 
mains to  be  taken  away  from  Egypt,  whenever  it  should^please  God 
to  conduct  his  people  to  the  promised  land — was  scarcely  dead, 
scarcely  had  the  last  clod  of  earth  rung  upon  the  coffin  of  the  last  of 
the  patriarchs :  when  the  new  king  of  Egypt  forgot  the  kindness  of 
Joseph,  the  benefits  he  had  heaped  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  coun- 
try under  his  dominion,  in  having  saved  them  from  the  desolating 
famine. — The  Israelites  had  greatly  increased  in  numbers  since  the 


THE  LEGATION  OF  MOSES.  45 

arrival  of  Jacob,  and  the  tyrant  of  Egypt  feared  them  as  inimical  to 
his  gowemment,  falsely  thinking  of  them,  like  many  rulers  in  later 
times,  and  even  in  the  present  day,  think  of  us,  their  descendants, 
that  they  could  have  no  community  of  interest  with  the  other  inhabit- 
ants of  the  country,  amongst  whom  they  resided.  His  fear  soon 
made  him  look  around  him  for  remedies,  or  rather,  preventives, 
against  the  too  rapid  increase  of  the  hateful  people  within  his  dominions, 
though  the  land  on  which  they  resided,  had  been  given  them  as  an 
inheritance,  by  the  especial  command  of  his  predecessor. — By  labour 
then  did  the  new  king  endeavour  to  check  the  growth  of  the  Israel- 
ites, and  at  the  same  time  to  break  down  their  high-mindedness,  for 
he  thought,  that  as  slaves  they  would  cease  to  be  dangerous  to  the 
state,  and  useful  in  building  cities,  monuments,  and  other  public  edi- 
fices, independently  of  other  manual  labour,  which  he  compelled  them 
to  do.  But  the  tyrant's  aim  was  frustrated,  and  the  more  the  Israel- 
ites were  oppressed,  the  more  they  increased.  Seeing  his  designs  so 
sadly  disappointed,  he  became  furious,  and  ordered  the  midwives  to 
murder  all  the  male  children  of  the  Hebrews,  as  soon  as  born.  But 
these  heroic  women,  regardless  of  any  mischief  that  might  happen  to 
them,  did  not  obey  the  king's  cruel  mandate  ;  and  when  he  disco- 
vered this,  he  commanded  Ms  own  people  to  throw  every  male  child 
of  the  Israelites  into  the  Nile. 

But  vain  are  the  efforts  of  man  against  the  decrees  of  Heaven  ! 
In  the  midst  of  this  calamity  was  born  by  Yochebed,  the  wife  of  Am 
ram,  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  that  child,  who  at  the  age  of  eighty  years 
rescued,  under  the  peculiar  guidance  and  providence  of  God,  his  fel 
low-believers  from  the  yoke  of  slavery. — After  Yochebed  had  con 
cealed  her  infant  for  three  months,  she  found  it  impossible  to  hide 
him  any  longer  from  Pharaoh's  blood-hounds,  and  with  sorrow  she 
was  compelled  to  place  him  in  a  box,  and  expose  him  amidst  the 
reeds  of  the  Nile,  for  she  preferred  leaving  his  rescue  to  the  hand 
of  Providence,  rather  than  begging  his  life  of  men,  whose  hearts  were 
steeled  against  mercy. — The  box  was  providentially  discovered  by 
the  king's  daughter,  who,  feeling  compassion  for  the  helpless  inno- 
cent, determined  to  save  him.     When  the  child  grew  up,  she  adopt- 
ed him,  and  called  him  Mosheh  (Moses,)  from  a  Hebrew  word, 
which  denotes  drawing  out,  as  we  also  read  in  Exodus:  "And  she 


46  THE  LEGATION  OF  MOSES. 

called  him  Mosheh  nt??o,  for  (she  said)  1  have  drawn  him  (inTPtPO) 
out  of  the  water. 

When  Moses  was  grown,  he  went  out  one  day  to  see  his  brethren 
work,  and  he  saw  an  Egyptian  beating  an  Israelite ;  Moses,  who 
perhaps  found  no  other  chance  of  saving  the  Hebrew's  life,  slew 
the  Egyptian  and  buried  him  in  the  sand.  Egypt  was  now  no  longer 
a  safe  residence  for  Moses,  for  soon  did  Pharaoh  hear  of  what  he  had 
done,  and  intended  to  kill  him ;  but  Moses  escaped.  He  now,  who  had 
been  reared  in  a  palace,  had  been  the  adopted  son  of  the  princess  of 
Egypt ;  became  the  servant  of  the  chief  of  Midian  (a  district  in  Ara- 
bia), and  so  much  was  Jithro  pleased  with  him,  that  he  gave  him  his 
daughter  Zipporah  for  a  wife,  by  whom  he  had  afterwards  two  sons, 
of  whom  one  was  called  Gershom,  the  other  Eleazer. 

The  above  mentioned  king  of  Egypt  was  dead,  and  yet  the  pres- 
sure was  not  removed  under  his  successor  from  Jacob's  children, 
and  bitterly  did  they  groan  under  their  heavy  labour ;  but  their 
Father  in  Heaven  heard  their  cries  and  determined  then  to  save 
them. 

Moses,  so  he  himself  tells  us*,  was  tending  the  sheep  of  his  father- 
in-law,  and  drove  the  flock  far  into  the  wilderness,  and  arrived  at 
the  mount  of  God  in  Horeb.  The  wonderful  appearance  of  a  thorn- 
bush  being  on  fire,  without  being  consumed,  attracted  his  attention, 
and  he  steppped  forward  to  see  "  why  the  thornbush  was  not  con- 
sumed?"— But  hark!  his  step  is  arrested,  and  a  voice  calls  out: 
"  Come  not  hither  !  take  thy  shoes  from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place 
thou  standest  upon  is  holy  ground."  The  Eternal  then  proceeded 
to  tell  Moses,  that  he  was  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Ja- 
cob, the  God,  in  times  of  old  adored  by  the  patriarchs,  with  whom 
he  had  made  a  covenant ;  He  had  therefore  resolved  to  redeem  their 
descendants  from  their  servitude  in  Egypt,  and  bring  them  into  the 
promised  land,  and  that  He  had  destined  Moses  to  be  the  messenger 
to  Pharaoh,  and  to  be  the  leader  of  the  Israelites  after  their  redemp- 
tion. 

Moses,  hearing  himself  appointed  to  such  a  high  station,  modestly 
declined  the  honour,  on  account  of  his  supposed  inability.  But  God 
told  him,  that  He  would  assist  him ;  and  to  prove  to  Moses  the  truth 

*  Here  I  must  beg  the  reader  to  refer  to  the  third  chapter  of  Exodus, 
where  the  whole  account  of  Moses's  mission  is  so  beautifully  given. 


THE  LEGATION  OF  MOSES.  47 

of  his  mission,  He  gave  him  a  sign ;  that  namely,  when  the  mission 
should  be  in  part  accomplished,  by  the  liberation  of  the  Israelites  from 
thraldom,  they  then  should  worship  God  upon  that  mountain,  (Horeb). 
Here  our  law  teaches  us  a  lesson,  of  which  we  ought  never  to  lose 
sight,  "  that  prophecy  cannot  be  verified,  but  by  the  accomplishment 
of  the  prediction,  and  no  miracle,  however  striking,  can  establish  the 
truth  of  what  any  man,  pretending  to  be  inspired,  says,  if  the  event 
accords  not  with  the  prediction." 

When  Moses  felt  thus  convinced  in  his  own  mind,  he  asked  by 
what  name  the  God  of  their  ancestors  should  be  announced  to  the 
Israelites  ?  And  God  answered  rrnx  1BW  rrnx,  which  ought  to  be 
rendered :  "1  am  the  unchangeable  Eternal  Being,  who  ever  will 
be ;"  and  He  commanded  Moses  to  tell  to  the  Israelites,  "  The  Ever- 
Being  rrnx  has  sent  me  to  you." — Moses  was  yet  diffident,  yet 
afraid,  that  the  people  to  whom  he  was  sent  would  not  believe  him, 
if  he  did  not  show  them  miracles,  to  convince  their  senses.  And  he 
was  gratified,  for  God  gave  him  power  to  work  certain  miracles. — 
But  Moses  would  not  yet  consent,  and  offered  his  want  of  eloquence 
as  an  excuse ;  God,  however,  spoke  to  him  as  follows :  "  Who  gave 
to  man  a  mouth  1  who  maketh  him  dumb  or  deaf,  or  well  endowed 
with  hearing  and  seeing,  or  blind  ?  is  it  not  I,  the  Eternal?"  Thus 
far  Moses  had  been  right,  in  not  grasping  too  eagerly  at  power  and 
distinction  ;  but  when  he  had  seen  that  it  was  God's  will,  that  he 
himself,  and  no  other  should  be  the  messenger,  he  ought  to  have 
raised  no  more  objections ;  for  when  he  yet  refused,  so  he  himself 
tells  us,  he  was  rebuked  by  God,  who  then  assigned  him  his  brother 
Aaron  as  spokesman,  and  thus  gave  him  a  partner  in  the  work  of  sal- 
vation, which  otherwise,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  would 
have  been  accomplished  by  Moses  alone.— The  following  moral  les- 
son is  clearly  deducible  from  the  whole  narrative  :  "  we  ought  never 
to  be  eager  to  claim  honours,  but  when  we  find  ourselves  capable  to  do 
any  thing  serviceable  to  mankind,  or  to  the  cause  of  virtue  and  reli- 
gion, or  if  we  see  things  done  wrong  by  others,  which  we  could 
do  better ;  then  it  becomes  our  duty  to  come  forward,  and  offer  our 
services ;  to  hold  back  then  would  be  false  delicacy,  but  not  mo- 
desty, and  we  deserve  punishment  if  we  suffer  mischievous  errors  to 
exist,  which  we  by  our  exertions  could  perhaps  remove." 

Moses  having  received  his  commission  from  his  Maker,  wandered 


48  THE  LEGATION  OF  MOSES. 

back  to  Egypt,  having  previously  taken  leave  of  Jithro,  and  being 
assured,  that  he  would  expose  himself  to  no  danger  by  his  return  to 
a  land,  where  he  was  once  threatened  with  the  scaffold. — Aaron, 
who  was  rejoiced  at  Moses's  elevation,  met  him  on  the  road,  and 
they,  after  their  arrival  in  Egypt,  assembled  the  elders  of  the  Israel- 
ites ;  Moses  performed  the  miracles  before  the  people,  and  Aaron 
related  to  them  the  message,  with  which  Moses  had  been  charged. 
And  the  people  believed. — Although  heavily  oppressed,  they  yet 
well  remembered  the  promise  given  to  Abraham,  and  the  manner  of 
Moses's  prophecy  convinced  them,  that  he  was  the  chosen  messenger 
of  the  God,  whom  their  forefathers  had  worshipped. — After  having 
made  known  the  word  of  salvation  to  their  brothers,  Moses  and  Aaron 
repaired  to  Pharaoh,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Eternal  demanded  the 
release  of  his  people.  Pharaoh  refused  and  said  :  "  Who  is  the 
Eternal,  that  I  should  obey  his  voice,  to  let  Israel  go?  I  know 
not  the  Eternal,  nor  will  I  suffer  Israel  to  depart."  The  obvious 
meaning  of  this  answer  is,  that  Pharaoh  said,  that  the  Eternal  was 
a  deity  unknown  to  him,  and  as  such  he  would  pay  no  respect  to 
his  commands. — Like  the  miser,  who  clings  more  firmly  to  his  ill- 
gotten  treasure,  when  he  finds  that  his  enjoyment  of  it  will  soon  be 
over ;  just  so  did  Pharaoh  order,  that  the  Hebrews  should  be  compel- 
led to  do  harder  work,  and  their  daily  task  not  be  in  the  least  dimin- 
ished, when  he  discovered  by  the  determined  manner  of  the  exiled 
Moses,  that  his  dominion  over  the  children  of  Israel  was  soon  to 
terminate  ;  for  even  Phaoraoh  must  have  felt  assured  that  no  man, 
much  less  one,  who  had  been  obliged  to  leave  the  empire,  would 
boldly  step  up  to  the  king  and  make  such  a  monstrous  demand,  if  he 
had  not  the  power  to  make  his  threats  of  vengeance  good. 

Pharaoh  perhaps  intended  to  stifle,  by  harder  oppression,  the 
incipient  desire  for  freedom  just  excited  in  the  bosom  of  a  degraded 
people ;  he  also  endeavoured,  but  in  vain,  to  resist  the  power  of  the 
Most  High ; — but  he  was  soon  taught  to  know,  that  he  himself  was 
but  a  man,  a  weak,  powerless  mortal ;  that  the  gods,  to  whom  he 
looked  for  support,  were  things,  in  which  there  is  no  power  to  help, 
and — that  there  is  none  like  our  God. — His  rivers  were  turned  into 
blood ;  frogs  came  in  masses  to  plague  him  and  his  equally  guilty 
people ;  vermin  and  wild  beasts  came  to  destroy  them,  and  pestilence 
swept  off  their  cattle;  their  own  bodies  were  afflicted  with  dangerous 


THE  LEGATION  OF  MOSES.  49 

ulcers ;  hail  and  locusts  were  sent  to  destroy  every  tree  and  every 
plant  which  grew  in  the  field,  and  at  last  there  was  darkness,  which 
lasted  for  three  days,  and  was  so  intense  that  no  one  could  see  the 
other. — As  long  as  the  plague  lasted,  Pharaoh  seemed  to  relent  and 
willing,  that  the  Israelites  should  leave  the  country ;  but  no  sooner 
had  the  evil  been  removed  by  Moses's  praying  to  God  for  his  enemies, 
than  Pharaoh  and  his  ministers  forgot  their  promise,  and  yet  kept 
Israel  enslaved.  Nine  plagues  had  already,  in  this  manner,  passed 
over  Egypt,  many  times  had  Pharaoh  refused  to  keep  his  promise ; 
but  now  his  proud  spirit  even  was  to  yield,  and  he,  who  but  lately 
spoke  with  contempt :  "  I  know  not  the  Eternal,"  was  now  destined  to 
feel  the  full  weight  of  his  wrath,  and  to  acknowledge  that  his  will 
must  be  obeyed.  Pharaoh  had  but  just  forbidden  Moses  ever  to 
come  to  him  again,  under  pain  of  death  ;  when  Moses  was  notified,  and 
ordered  to  tell  him,  that  that  very  night  the  greatest  distress  should 
overtake  all  Egypt,  neither  king  nor  slave  should  be  spared,  and  that 
not  even  the  cattle  and  the  idols,  which  the  Egyptians  worshipped, 
should  escape.  For  Moses  was  ordered  to  announce,  that  just  at 
midnight,  when  every  one  should  repose  in  security,  every  first-born 
of  each  family,  in  the  whole  land  of  Egypt,  was  to  die,  and  that  even 
the  king's  first  born,  his  presumptive  successor,  should  perish,  and 
that  then  the  bereaved  parent  would  be  willing  to  allow  the  Israelites 
to  depart,  to  worship  God  the  Eternal,  who  had  chosen  them  to  be 
his  servants. 


50 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE    EXODUS. 


It  was  in  the  beginning  of  the  month  of  A  bib,*  that  Moses  and 
Aaron  received  the  first  commandment  promulgated  to  those  who 
went  out  of  Egypt.  It  is  well  known,  that  the  Egyptians,  although 
they  are  so  highly  celebrated  for  their  learning  and  skill  in  various 
arts,  were  silly  enough  to  worship  beasts,  and  amongst  the  rest  the 
bull  (Apis)  and  the  ram  ;  for  it  is,  I  suppose,  known  to  most  classical 
scholars,  that  Jupiter  Amman  was  represented  with  a  ram's  head. — 
As  has  been  already  related  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  time  of 
Israel's  redemption  was  fast  approaching,  and  Moses  and  his  brother 
were  then  commanded  to  tell  the  whole  nation  of  Israelites,  that  each 
family  should  provide  themselves  with  a  lamb,  which  should  be  in 
their  possession  as  early  as  the  tenth  day  of  the  month,  but  not  be 
killed  till  the  afternoon  of  the  fourteenth.  The  Egyptians  never  ate 
meat,  for  beasts  were  their  gods ;  but  now  the  Israelites,  who  had 
been  their  slaves  for  many  years,  selected  the  idols  of  their  masters 
as  sacrifices  to  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  thus  showing 
the  Egyptians,  that  the  descendants  of  the  patriarchs  were  no  longer 
afraid  of  them;  whereas  before  this  time  the  Israelites  were  not  per- 
mitted to  kill  animals  in  the  presence  of  the  Egyptians,  (see  Exo- 
dus, chapter  viii.  v.  22). — The  Hebrews  were  also  commanded,  to 
sprinkle  the  blood  of  the  paschal  lamb  upon  the  door-posts ; "  to  what 
purpose  ?  did  not  God  know  where  the  Hebrews  lived,  without  this 
mark?"  Certainly,  but  the  commandment  was  given  to  test  the 
faith  of  God's  people.  Those  who,  fearful  of  offending  their  task- 
masters, omitted  to  obey  the  will  of  God,  were  not  deserving  to  be 
spared,  when  these  suffered ;  but  those  who,  firmly  relying  upon  the 
promise  of  their  God,  obeyed  his  word  with  alacrity,  were  indeed 
worthy  of  being  spared.     Thus   was   the   blood   a   true   mark   of 

*  Now  commonly  called  Nissan.  The  months  of  the  Hebrew  year  have,  since 
the  return  from  the  Babylonian  captivity,  been  distinguished  by  Chaldean 
names,  and  the  Hebrew  ones  have  not  been  in  general  use  since  that  time. 


THE  EXODUS.  51 

discrimination  to  the  Israelites  themselves,  between  him,  who  confided 
in  God,  and  him,  whose  faith  was  weak  and  wavering. — They  were 
also  commanded  to  be  dressed  as  if  prepared  for  a  journey,  while 
eating  the  passover-lamb ;  with  their  clothes  well  fixed,  their  sandals 
on  their  feet,  and  their  sticks  in  their  hands,  and  to  eat  the  meat 
hastily ;  thus  was  it  indicated  to  them,  that  immediately  after  the 
eating  of  the  offering,  they  should  be  ready  to  leave  the  land  of  their 
oppressors.  They  were  further  commanded  that  they  themselves, 
and  their  remotest  descendants,  should  eat  unleavened  bread  for 
seven  days,  from  the  fifteenth  till  the  twenty-first  of  the  month  in 
the  evening. — The  passover  was  also  to  be  eaten  with  bitter  herbs, 
in  commemoration  of  the  bitterness  of  the  sufferings  of  the  Israelites 
in  Egypt. 

The  above  commandments  were  strictly  observed ;  and  when  the 
night  after  the  fourteenth  day  had  set  in,  the  Israelites  were  celebrat- 
ing the  first  Passover.  The  blood  of  the  sacrifice  graced  the  door- 
posts of  the  habitations  of  the  Hebrews,  when  just  at  midnight  the 
avenging  God  went  forth  over  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  slew  every  first- 
born of  man  and  beast  in  Pharaoh's  dominion.  "  We  are  all  dying," 
resounded  through  the  land,  and  when  the  tyrant's  first-born  dropt 
dead  at  his  father's  feet,  even  he  relented;  he  called  Moses  and  Aaron, 
begged  them  to  leave  his  land,  and  craved  their  blessing.  The 
Egyptians,  who  before  could  not  bear  the  idea  of  letting  their  ser- 
vants go,  now  drove  them  fairly  off,  would  not  give  them  time  to 
bake  their  bread,  and  gave  them  gold,  silver,  and  clothing,  any  thing 
to  be  rid  of  such  dangerous  inmates.  And  was  Moses,  who  was 
seemingly  the  author  of  all  this  misery,  hated  by  them  1  No,  he 
stood  high  in  the  estimation  and  affection  of  Pharaoh's  ministers,  and 
the  people  of  Egypt ;  for  all  acknowledged  that  he  was  the  servant 
and  messenger  of  the  true  God,  and  that  by  his  will  and  permission 
alone  Moses  was  enabled  to  do  these  great  things. — The  people  of 
Israel,  therefore,  who  had  been  slaves  for  many  years,*  were  in  this 
manner  freed  from  their  oppressors,  and  they  went  out  openly  and 
unmolested,  to  meet  their  new  destinies  under  a  leader  beloved  by 
his  own  fellow-believers,  and  respected  even  by  his  enemies. — They 
were  destined  for  the  conquest  of  Palestine ;  but  the  Eternal  did  not 

*  This  event  took  place,  according  to  the  Rabbins,  in  the  four  hundredth  year 
after  the  birth  of  Isaac,  and  as  I  believe  430  years  after  Abraham  had  left  Ur 
Casdim,  which  is,  I  think,  the  time  mentioned  in  Exodus,  chap.  xii. 


52  THE  EXODUS. 

wish  to  lead  them  through  the  country  of  the  Philistines  to  the  im- 
mediate acquisition  of  their  inheritance  ;  He  preferred  to  let  them 
pass' through  the  wilderness  of  Arabia,  to  teach  them  more  fully, 
that  they  were  altogether  dependent  upon  his  support. — He  sent  a 
pillar  of  clouds  to  go  before  them  by  day,  to  point  out  the  road  they 
were  to  travel,  and  by  night,  he  illuminated  their  path  with  a  pillar 
ofjire,  so  that  they  were  enabled  to  travel  by  day  and  night. 

When  the  terror  of  Pharaoh  and  his  people  had  a  little  subsided 
after  their  late  calamity,  they  repented  their  having  dismissed  the 
Israelites,  and  all  went  out  in  pursuit  of  them,  to  bring  them  back  to 
servitude. — The  Egyptians  overtook  the  Israelites,  as  they  lay  en- 
camped along  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea.  They,  who  had  been 
redeemed  but  a  few  days  ago,  saw  column  after  column  of  their  re- 
vengeful pursuers  arrive  ;  and  how  should  they  be  able  to  withstand 
this  well  armed  host  of  horsemen  and  charioteers  1  Behind  them 
were  their  enemies,  and  before  them  they  saw  the  agitated  waves  of 
the  Arabian  Gulf;  there  was  therefore  no  possibility  of  retreating, 
no  advancing ;  the  danger  was  pressing,  and  six  hundred  thousand 
freemen  saw  no  alternative  between  death  and  slavery.  The  very 
idea  was  maddening,  to  think  that  their  wives  should  be  swept  off  by 
the  flood — or  that  the  necks  of  their  tender  children  should  bend 
under  that  heavy  yoke  of  slavery,  under  the  pressure  of  which  they 
had  themselves  so  long  groaned. — In  their  anguish,  they  called  upon 
their  God  to  assist  them,  and  He  heard  their  prayer. — It  is  true, 
that  some  began  to  grow  faint-hearted,  and  accused  Moses  as  the 
author  of  their  present  distress ;  but  let  those,  who  may  be  disposed 
to  think  our  ancestors  so  very  blameable  for  their  want  of  confidence, 
only  reflect  how  they  themselves  would  have  acted  under  equally 
trying  circumstances.* — But  Moses  stood  unappalled  in  this  emer- 
gency— he,  the  man  of  God,  knew  no  fear,  and  he  inspired  his 
affrighted  brethren  with  a  share  of  the  confidence  he  himself  felt. 
Secure  of  a  happy  issue,  he  ordered  the  Israelites  to  stand  quiet,  and 
in  the  spirit  of  prophecy  he  assured  them,  that  they  should  never 
again  see  the  Egyptians  in  the  manner  they  beheld  them  that  day. — 

*  Let  rac  not  be  misunderstood,  as  being  the  apologist  for  the  rebellious'spiril 
manifested  so  frequently  by  the  Israelites ;  since  my  only  aim  is  to  draw  the 
attention  of  tbose  saints,  in  their  own  opinion,  who  accuse  the  Jews  of  want  of 
faith,  to  themselves,  and  to  reflect  if  they  are  in  the  least  more  virtuous,  in  des- 
pite of  their  boasted  sanctity. 


THE  EXODUS.  53 

All  the  nation  became  silent — all  clamour  was  hushed,  whilst  Moses 
prayed  to  God,  who  had  through  him  so  often  before  manifested  hi3 
power. — And  soon  was  his  prayer  answered  from  Heaven ;  he  was 
ordered  to  stretch  his  staff,  with  which  he  had  performed  the  other 
miracles,  over  the  sea,  and  behold  !  its  waters  were  divided,  and 
were  congealed,  and  stood  up  like  two  walls,  to  the  right  and  to  the 
left.  The  tribes  of  Yeshurun  boldly  advanced  into  the  dry  chasm  of 
the  ocean,  and  passed  through  unharmed.  Their  pursuers,  being 
baffled  in  their  intentions,  and  disappointed  of  their  prey,  hurried  on- 
ward after  the  retiring  Israelites  ;  but  soon  they  discovered,  when  it 
was  too  late,  their  inability  to  accomplish  their  purpose  ;  against 
their  will  they  were  dragged  forward,  and  they  arrived  in  their  turn 
in  the  middle  of  the  sea.  Moses  was  again  commanded  to  stretch  his 
hand  over  the  sea,  and  all  the  Egyptians  were  at  once  overwhelmed 
in  one  confused  and  sudden  destruction;  for  the  sea  ebbed  down 
again  to  "  the  gate  of  tears,"*  and  buried  under  its  mighty  waves 
the  whole  host  of  Pharaoh,  and  not  even  one  was  left  to  carry  home 
to  his  countrymen  an  account  of  the  terrible  catastrophe. — The  de- 
struction was  complete ;  and  when  the  Israelites  saw  the  corpses  of 
their  enemies  thrown  upon  the  seashore,  they  all  acknowledged  the 
great  power  of  their  mighty  Deliverer,  and  as  our  legislator  expresses 
in  a  few  words  :  "  And  the  people  feared  the  Eternal,  and  they  be- 
lieved in  the  Eternal  and  his  servant  Mosheh."  When  Moses  and  all 
Israel  saw  the  great  deliverance,  and  when  they  felt  that  they  were 
now  and  for  ever  free  from  Egyptian  thraldom,  they  composed  that 
elegant  hymn,  which  must  ever  remain  an  example  of  chaste  and  ele- 
vated poetry.  In  which  after  rehearsing  the  great  deliverance,  by 
which  they  had  been  saved  from  slavery  and  from  death,  they  speak 
in  terms  of  confidence  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  yet  remaining  unaccom- 
plished promises  of  God,  and  conclude  with  the  following  beautiful 
sentences : 

"  Thou  wilt  bring  them,  and  Thou  wilt  plant  them  in  the  mountain 
of  thy  inheritance,  in  the  place,  O  Eternal,  Thou  hast  prepared  for 
thy  residence;  the  sanctuary,  O  Lord,  which  thy  hands  have  found- 
ed !— The  Eternal  will  reign  for  ever  and  ever !"  May  this  be  his 
will,  and  may  all  flesh  speedily  be  brought  to  acknowledge  Him  alone, 
and  to  the  observance  of  his  precepts.     Amen. 

*  The  straits  of  Bab-el  Mandeb,  which  form  the  outlet  of  the  Red  Sea. 


54 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    ISRAELITES    AND    REVELATION. 

In  the  foregoing,  I  have  briefly  narrated  the  history  of  the  Israel- 
ites from  Abraham,  the  founder  of  the  nation,  to  their  deliverance 
from  the  Egyptians.  We  will  therefore  pause  here  a  little,  and  ex- 
amine the  following  question :  "  Is  it  reasonable  to  suppose  that  God 
revealed  himself  to  the  Israelites  ?  and  is  it  compatible  with  the  dig- 
nity of  the  Creator,  to  make  a  nation  or  a  set  of  men,  just  released 
from  slavery,  the  depository  of  his  will  ?" 

No  one  will  deny,  since  denial  is  useless  and  unnecessary,  that 
the  Israelites  were  a  nation  just  released  from  slavery,  that  they  were 
ignorant  and  idolatrous ;  yet  this  admission  does  not  in  the  slightest 
degree  invalidate  the  assertion  of  Moses,  that  these  Israelites  were 
chosen  as  the  depository  of  God's  will  and  law.  Let  us  but  examine 
the  object  of  religion,  the  intended  influence  and  scope  of  the  revealed 
word  of  God,  and  no  solid  objection  can  be  raised  to  the  Bible  having 
been  given  to  a  people  who  were  ignorant  and  unused  to  a  worship 
different  from  the  rites  of  the  heathens,  amongst  whom  they  had 
hitherto  resided.  For  religion  is  intended  to  fill  our  minds  with  a 
.proper  idea  of  God  and  his  attributes,  and  in  consequence,  to  raise 
our  thoughts  to  Him,  inasmuch  as  we  are  dependent  upon  his 
bounty  for  our  daily  subsistence,  nay  to  his  kindness  for  every 
moment  of  our  life. — The  more  we  feel  our  dependence  upon  God, 
the  oftener  the  subject  is  brought  before  us  in  its  full  force,  the 
greater  the  benefits  are  we  receive  from  his  goodness :  the  more 
must  we,  of  necessity,  be  alive  to  his  mercy,  the  greater  will  be, 
must  be,  our  desire  to  merit  the  continuance  of  his  supreme  pro- 
tection, by  gratitude  towards  Him — by  the  observance  of  his  pre- 
cepts.— The  Israelites  had  been  for  nearly  two  hundred  years 
compelled  to  do  the  most  degrading  work,  and  they  were  even 
inhumanly  beaten  by  those  very  persons,  whose  ancestors  owed 
every  thing  to  the  Hebrew  Joseph.  (See  above.) — At  the  same  time 
the  promises  made  to  Abraham,  and  reiterated  to  the  succeeding 
patriarchs,  were  not  forgotten  by  the  Hebrews.     But  year  after  year 


THE  ISRAELITES  AND  REVELATION.  55 

rolled  on,  and  their  toil  was  not  diminished,  the  appointed  time  was 
drawing  to  a  close,  and  they  were  yet  slaves.  At  length,  Moses,  the 
son  of  Amram,  communicated  to  them  the  joyful  tidings  that  God  had 
taken  cognizance  of  their  deplorable  situation,  and  that  even  then  at 
the  moment  he  was  speaking,  the  decree  of  their  redemption  had 
gone  forth. — If  now  the  additional  pressure  of  the  last  acts  of  Pha- 
raoh's tyranny  had  continued  long,  the  Hebrews  would  probably 
have  derided  and  scorned  him  (Moses)  as  a  deceiver,  who  had 
mocked  them  with  hopes  of  deliverance,  and  was  even  the  proximate 
cause  of  additional  hardships.  It  was  not,  however,  the  will  of  God, 
that  his  faithful  servant  should  be  considered  in  this  light. — No 
sooner  had  Pharaoh  announced  his  determination  of  still  more  tight- 
ening the  chains  of  the  captives,  than  Moses  was  sent  to  him,  to  de- 
mand again  and  again  the  release  of  God's  first-born,  namely,  our 
nation.  Pharaoh  still  refused. — Punishment  after  punishment  was 
inflicted  upon  the  king  and  his  Egyptians,  whilst  the  Hebrews  re- 
mained unharmed  amid  the  desolation  around  them.  At  length,  by 
that  dreadful  scourge,  the  last  the  Egyptians  suffered  at  home,  the 
king  was  compelled  to  comply  with  God's  will  and  dismiss  Israel,  and 
when  he  attempted  to  force  them  back,  we  have  seen  already  the 
entire  destruction  which  befel  him  and  his  army. — These  things 
were  not  done  in  a  corner,  they  were  not  done  before  a  few  men ; 
but  before  the  whole  Hebrew  and  Egyptian  nations,  all  of  whom  saw 
and  (therefore)  knew  all,  that  we  are  told  did  happen. — The  Egyp- 
tians, therefore,  were  convinced  that  the  Eternal  is  a  God,  who 
cannot  be  offended  with  impunity ;  and  the  Israelites  were  taught, 
that  He  keeps  his  word,  and  that  He  rewards  those  who  love  Him, 
to  the  thousandth  generation,  and  besides — that  He  was  their  glory 
and  their  God,  who  had  done  all  those  wonderful  things,  which  their 
own  eyes  had  beheld. 

In  this  manner  were  the  Israelites  convinced,  that  their  sole 
dependence  was  the  favour  of  God,  for  by  his  assistance  alone  were 
they  redeemed  from  that  captivity,  of  which  in  spite  of  their  numbers 
they  had  been  unable  to  free  themselves  by  their  own  exertions. 
Their  mind  was  therefore  in  a  proper  state  to  receive  lasting  religious 
impresions.  They  owed  every  thing  to  God,  they  had  seen  his 
power,  and  felt  his  forbearance;  and  can  any  man  devise  a  state  of 
society,  where  more  lasting  impressions  could  be  made  by  the  divine 


56  THE  ISRAELITES  AND  REVELATION. 

law,  than  that  in  which  the  Israelites  were,  when  going  out  of  Egypt? 
Here  every  thing  tended  to  draw  them  to  their  Maker — the  ties  of 
the  covenant  had  been  renewed,  and  new  obligations  of  obeying  God's 
word  had  been  laid  upon  them,  and  all  they  could  do,  to  requite  the 
many  favours  they  had  received,  was — to  devote  themselves  to  the 
service  of  God. — It  is  true,  they  murmured  several  times,  when  they 
wanted  bread  and  water,  and  God  gratified  them. — They  frequently 
sinned,  and  they  were  punished  ;  but  soon  they  acknowledged  the 
justice  of  the  decrees  of  Heaven,  and  were  forgiven,  because  they  re- 
pented. And  to  this  day  the  law  is  respected  by  us,  its  very  pages  are 
considered  sacred,  and  our  greatest  praise  is  to  have  observed  its  pre- 
cepts, as  far  as  lies  within  our  power.  The  impression  was  made  three 
thousand  years  ago,  and  it  is  as  fresh  at  this  moment,  as  it  was  on 
that  day,  when,  after  the  Israelites  had  seen  the  power  of  God  anew 
displayed,  by  giving  them  water  out  of  the  hard  rock,  they  went  out 
under  the  guidance  of  Joshua  to  repel  the  attack  of  the  Amalekites. 
They  were  unused  to  arms,  yet  did  they  light  bravely  for  a  whole 
day,  under  the  eye  of  the  youthful  hero,  who  led  them  on  against  an 
enemy,  whose  very  trade  was  war ;  for  they  confided  in  God,  and 
hoped  that  He,  who  had  led  them  out  of  Egypt,  would  vouchsafe  to 
defend  them  against  the  attack  of  a  barbarous  horde — and  they  were 
not  deceived  in  their  expectation.  Moses  ascended  a  hill,  where  he 
prayed  w.ith  uplifted  hands  (Talmud  Roshe  Hashanah,  chap.  3,  §.  8,) 
for  those  who  fought,  and  they  conquered  by  the  name  of  God,  to 
whom  their  hearts  were  raised  during  the  battle ! 

Does  any  man  want  the  objection  at  the  head  of  the  chapter  re- 
futed by  more  solid  arguments  ?  I  think  not — for  what  has  been 
said  already  must  convince  every  reader,  that  the  very  state  of  so- 
ciety considered  objectionable  to  the  account  of  Moses  relative  to  the 
law  having  been  given  to  the  lately  freed  Israelites,  was  of  all  others 
the  most  favourable,  and  infinitely  preferable  to  a  state  of  affluence, 
where  the  mind  of  nations,  equally  with  that  of  individuals,  is  alas, 
too  often,  and  too  much,  engrossed  with  worldly  affairs;  and  nations 
and  individuals  thus  circumstanced  are  too  little  inclined  to  think  of 
the  decrees  of  their  God,  whose  creatures  they  are,  and  to  whom  they 
are  indebted  for  that  very  affluence  which  makes  them  think  so 
highly  of  their  own  power  and  wisdom,  and  so  lightly  of  their  God 
and  Creator. 


57 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE    DESCENT    ON  SINAI. 


The  last  notes  of  the  song  of  thanksgiving  had  died  way  along  the 
shore  of  the  Arabian  Sea,  the  shout  of  triumph  over  the  conquered 
Amalekites  was  hushed  :  and  Israel  lay  encamped  in  the  wilderness 
of  Sinai.  The  whole  neighbourhood  of  Mount  Horeb  is  described 
by  late  travellers  as  strikingly  sublime,  and  the  mount  itself,  though 
not  quite  so  elevated,  as  some  others  in  the  neighbourhood,  as  having, 
nevertheless,  a  wonderful  effect  by  its  several  and  distinct  summits, 
one  more  elevated  than  the  other.  At  the  foot  of  this  mountain,  our 
ancestors  encamped,  at  the  commencement  of  the  third  month  ;* 
they  had  therefore  arrived  at  that  spot,  where  it  had  been  foretold  to 
Moses,  (see  above,  chap,  ix.)  the  Israelites  should  worship  God,  after 
their  leaving  Egypt. 

It  was  therefore,  here,  that  Moses  was  called  for  the  first  time  be- 
fore the  whole  congregation,  to  receive  the  annunciation  of  God's  will. 
He  was  commanded  (Exodus,  chap,  xix,  v.  3 — 6):  "  Thusshalt  thou 
say  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  tell  the  children  of  Israel :  you  have 
seen  what  1  have  done  to  Egypt,  and  that  I  have  borne  you  on 
eagle's  wings,  and  brought  you  to  me.  And  now,  if  you  will  obey 
my  words  and  observe  my  covenant,  then  you  shall  be  to  me  a  people 
more  dearly  beloved  than  any  other  nation,  for  all  the  earth  is  mine. 
And  you  shall  be  to  me  a  kingdom  of  priests,  and  a  holy  nation." 
Let  us  understand  this  message  well,  for  then  we  shall  easily  discover 
upon  what  terms  the  Almighty  promised  to  befriend  us,  and  under 
what  circumstances  we  were  to  be  the  dearly  beloved  people. — Pre- 
viously to  this  moment  the  Israelites  had  been  told,  that  their  re- 
demption from  slavery  was  to  take  place,  not  on  account  of  any 

*  The  month  in  which  they  were  relieved  from  Egypt  being,  by  God's  com- 
mand, instituted  the  first  of  the  ecclesiastical  year.  See  Instruction  in  the  Mo- 
saic Religion,  page  124. 

8 


58  THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI. 

thing  they  themselves  had  done ;  but  solely,  because  of  the  covenant 
with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  the  promises  made  to  them. — 
The  Israelites,  being  now  free,  were  told  :  first,  that  it  was  God, 
and  not  Moses,  by  whose  power  they  had  been  redeemed  ;  further, 
that  the  Almighty  had  subsequently — like  the  eagle  that  protects  its 
offspring  from  danger — protected  them,  and  delivered  them  from 
flood,  from  famine,  from  thirst,  and  from  the  sword ;  and  lastly,  that 
if  they  would  now  agree  to  the  conditions,  which  He  would  propose, 
then  should  they  be  entitled  to  the  continuance  of  his  protection  and 
fostering  care.  Although  God  could,  after  his  goodness  to  them, 
have,  according  to  human  notions  of  gratitude,  demanded  their  obe- 
dience ;  yet  did  He  lay  before  them  his  intentions,  for  their  accept- 
ance or  refusal.  Thus  teaching  us,  that  we  should  never  presume  to 
dictate  to  a  person,  indebted  to  us,  any  thing  which  might  by  chance 
be  disagreeable  to  him,  but  that  we  ever  ought  to  gain  his  compli- 
ance by  gentle  persuasion. — Well  then — God  proposed  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  that  they  should  receive  his  peculiar  protection  and 
love,  in  case  they  would  obey  his  commandments  and  observe  the 
terms  of  the  covenant,  to  be  proposed  to  them. — He  also  justifies  this 
preference  of  them  by  saying :  "  All  the  world  is  mine,"  meaning, 
since  you  choose  voluntarily  to  observe  my  statutes,  no  nation  has  a 
right  to  complain  of  my  favouring  you  more  than  others,  for  all  na- 
tions are  equally  mine,  and  all  shall  ultimately  be  deserving  to  be 
called  by  my  name  ;  but  since  I  must  make  a  beginning  with  one, 
to  promulgate  my  law  in  the  first  instance  to  them,  it  is  but  just  and 
fair  that  I,  who  am  the  maker  and  master  of  all,  should  be  left  to 
choose  that*  people,  which  I,  in  my  superior  wisdom,  think  better 

*  The  prophets  frequently  refer  to  the  existence  of  the  Israelites,  as  an  argu- 
ment in  favour  of  the  existence  of  God,  and  Isaiah  (chap.  43,)  calls  upon  all  na- 
tions, "  to  bring  instances,  where  any  of  them  could  foretell  things,  which  were 
to  happen,  and  to  produce  analogous  events  to  our  history,  from  theirs  ;"  and 
then  he  proceeds  (v.  10):  "  You  are  my  witnesses,  and  my  servants,  whom  I 
have  chosen."  (v.  12)  "  And  you  are  my  witnesses,  spcaketh  the  Eternal,  and 
I  AM  GOD."  Here  then  the  prophet  rests  the  truth  of  the  law,  and  the  proof 
of  the  existence  of  God,  upon  the  existence  of  the  Israelites  ;  and  to  us  it  really 
appears,  that  the  existence  of  the  Jewish  nation  proves  that  there  is  a  superin- 
tending Power,  and  that  this  Power  has  chosen  this  people  for  some  ulterior  pur- 
pose, which  is  known  to  Him  alone.  Let  us  endeavour  to  account  for  our 
national  existence  as  we  will,  a  moment's  reflection  will  be  enough  to  convince 


THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI.  59 

fitted  and  more  deserving  than  any  other,  to  be  the  depository  of  my 
statutes,  till  the  rest  of  mankind  be  also  fitted  to  adopt  my  will  as 
their  guide,  and  my  law  as  their  code. 

Can  any  philosopher  step  forward  and  assert,  that  the  Israelites 
were  not  better  fitted,  than  any  other  people,  then  or  even  now  ex- 
isting, for  this  great  purpose  of  God  ?  They  were  already  uncon- 
nected with  any  other  nation,  they  had  no  home,  but  that  one  they 
expected  to  acquire  by  the  assistance  of  their  God ;  they  had  there- 
fore to  make  no  great  personal  sacrifices  by  secluding  themselves 
from  the  rest  of  the  world :  when,  on  the  contrary,  it  would  have 
been  a  most  difficult  thing  to  reform  a  people,  whose  manners  were 
once  settled,  and  this  difficulty  would  have  been  not  a  little  magnified, 
when  this  very  change  of  manners  must  have  set  them  up  as  a 
mark  of  hatred  to  all  the  surrounding  nations,  whose  manners  had 
been  formerly  similar  to  theirs,  and  with  whom  they  had  lived  in 
friendship. — Independently  of  this  reason,  the  Israelites  were  already 
better  acquainted  with  revelation  than  any  other  people,  and  their 
manners  were  probably  not  so  corrupt. — Moreover,  the  Israelites 
were  prepared  to  receive  the  law  of  God  from  feelings  of  gratitude 
towards  Him  for  the  signal  favours  they  had  received,  which  was,  as 
has  been  shown,  another  powerful  reason  to  entrust  the  law  to  them. 

To  return  to  the  subject  under  consideration, — the  Israelites  were 
promised  happiness  and  salvation, — for  God  said,  they  should  be 
a  holy  people, — if  they  would  on  their  part  abide  by  the  conditions 
proposed,  and  observe  the  duties  required  of  them.  Let  it  be  well 
observed,  that  God  here  plainly  says,  that  the  righteousness  of  a 
man  is  sufficient  to  ensure  his  salvation,  for  he  does  not  even  hint  in 
the  slightest  manner  at  a  saviour,  or  to  speak  more  clearly,  at  a 
mediator  between  God  and  man.  According  to  this  definition,  which 
can  hardly  be  controverted,  we  may  safely  rest  our  hope  of  salvation 
upon  our  obeying  the  will  of  God  and  upon  our  observing  his  precepts, 
and  we  are  not  to  expect  to  be  saved  through  any  being,  save  the 
Eternal,  for  He  alone  is  our  Supporter,  our  Saviour  and  our  Redeemer. 

No  sooner  had  Moses  delivered  the  message  of  God,  than  all  the 

us,  that  the  biblical  account  is  the  most  rational,  nay,  the  only  probable  one 
of  the  origin,  progress,  and  fall  of  our  nation,  the  once  powerful  Israel,  but 
now  the  humble  and  much  despised  Jews. 


60  THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI. 

people  unanimously  (not  together)  answered.  "  All  that  the  Eter- 
nal has  spoken  we  will  do."  When  Moses  had  carried  back  this 
reply  to  God,  he  was  further  notified,  that  He  would  come  to  him  in 
a  thick  cloud,  that  the  people  might  hear,  when  He  spoke  to  him ; 
and  God  at  the  same  time,  promised  Moses,  "  that  in  him  they  should 
believe  for  ever."  Thirty  centuries  have  already  elapsed,  since  our 
great  and  good  leader  was  taken  from  us,  (at  a  time  when  his  strength 
was  yet  unimpaired) ;  and  his  mission  is  yet  believed  divine,  and  its 
truth  defended  by  the  Jews.  Does  not  my  writing  this  imperfect 
defence  of  our  law  in  part  verify  this  prediction  ?  Can  any  denier  of  the 
truth  of  prophecy  assert,  that  this  prophecy  has  not  been  fulfilled  to 
the  letter  ?  What  right  has  he,  then,  to  deny  the  authenticity  of  at 
least  this  one  prediction  ? 

When  the  people  had  declared  their  willingness,  nay  their  eager 
desire,  to  see  their  King,  as  the  Rabbins  figuratively  call  the  desire 
of  hearing  the  word  of  God  proclaimed  without  any  mediator,  not 
even  Moses,  the  latter  was  ordered,  to  prepare  his  brethren  for 
three  days  previous  to  that  glorious  day.  Perfectly  clean,  perfectly 
free  from  all  earthly  desires  and  pollution,  should  they  meet  their 
God,  and  receive  his  holy  and  pure  law,  in  holiness  and  purity.  The 
mount  Sinai  was  to  be  the  place,  whence  the  law  was  to  be  proclaim- 
ed, and  on  that  account  Moses  was  commanded  to  fence  it  round,  so 
so  that  no  one  should  approach  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord,  and  death 
would  have  been  the  punishment  for  the  violation  of  this  interdiction. 

At  dawn  of  the  appointed  day  there  rested  a  dense  cloud  on  the 
mount,  and  the  terrible  thunder  rolled,  and  the  bright  lightning 
flashed,  at  the  coming  of  the  Most  High  in  his  glory.  The  trumpet 
— a  trumpet  not  blown  by  mortals,  but  sounding  by  the  will  of  the 
Almighty— called  forth  with  its  loud  blast  the  people  of  Israel.  And 
they  trembled,  whilst  Moses  led  them  out  of  the  camp  and  placed 
them  at  the  foot  of  Sinai ;  for  the  mount  emitted  flames  fiercer  than 
the  destructive  volcano,  and  shook  to  its  very  base. — It  could  not 
have  been  an  ordinary  earthquake,  not  a  common  eruption  of  a  burn- 
ing mountain ;  for  then,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  the  approach 
to  the  base  of  the  mount  would  have  produced  instant  death.  But, 
no!  it  was  the  glory  of  God,  in  whose  presence  there  is  safety, 
which  produced  this  effect,  and  therefore  did  the  Israelites,  led  by 
Moses,  advance  with  a  trusty  mind  and  a  firm  step,  though  with  a 


THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI.  (Jl 

quaking  heart,  for  who  fears  not  when  God  speaks? — After  Moses 
had  placed  his  brethren  in  proper  order,  he  ascended  the  mount ; 
but  he  was  ordered  to  go  down*  and  give  warning  a  second  time, 
that  no  one  should  pass  beyond  the  barrier  which  Moses  had  drawn 
round  the  mount.  And  here  we  have  another  moral  lesson,  "  that 
it  is  not  enough,  that  a  father  tell  his  children,  and  a  superior  those 
under  his  charge,  only  once  of  their  duty ;  but  that  they  ought  to 
repeat  their  instructions  so  often,  that  they  cannot  be  forgotten,  or 
else  the  father  and  guardian  have  neglected  their  trust,  and  they  are 
answerable  to  God  for  sins  committed  by  their  charges  through 
ignorance. — 

When  the  Israelites  were  at  length  fully  prepared,  the  all-power- 
ful God  spoke  as  follows : 

1.  "  I  am  the  ETERNAL  thy  GOD,  who  have  conducted  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of  slavery. 

2.  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me.  Thou  shalt  make 
thyself  no  image,  nor  any  likeness  of  aught  in  heaven  above,  or  on 
earth  below,  or  in  the  waters  beneath  the  earth.  Thou  shalt  not 
bow  down  to  them,  nor  worship  them ;  for  I  the  Eternal  thy  God, 
am  a  watchfulf  God,  who  am  visiting  the  sins  of  the  fathers  on  the 

*The  intelligent  reader  is  requested  to  read  with  particular  attention  the 
nineteenth  chapter  of  Exodus,  and  he  will  discover,  that  Moses  was  not  in  all 
probability  on  the  mount  Sinai  during  the  promulgation  of  the  Decalogue,  for  it 
is  not  mentioned,  that  he  re-ascended,  till  after  the  promulgation,  and  we  have 
therefore  another  proof  that  Moses  had  no  agency  in  imposing  a  law  of  his  own 
invention    upon  the  Israelites. 

It  is  but  justice  to  say,  that  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Jacob  Mordecai  of  Rich- 
mond, for  this  remark. 

t  It  is  really  astonishing,  with  how  much  avidity  every  difficult  passage,  nay 
every  obscure  word,  in  the  whole  Bible  is  seized  by  infidels,  and  explained  by 
them  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  make  its  meaning  absurd,  and  thus  they  attempt 
to  defend  their  infidelity,  saying,  that  they  cannot  believe  such  nonsense,  as  they 
pretend  to  say  they  have  met  with  in  the  holy  scriptures.  A  stronger  instance 
can  hardly  be  found,  than  the  assertion,  that  according  to  the  Jewish  Bible, 
God  is  a  vindictive  Being.  God  pardon  me,  for  even  penning  this  blasphemy  ! 
And  where  do  they  find  this  ?  In  the  Decalogue  they  say,  where  it  says  :  He  is 
a  jealous  God.  But  if  I  may  venture  an  opinion,  I  would  explain  the  words 
KJp  Sx  in  ^  following  manner  :  The  Israelites  had  seen  the  goodness  of  God 
manifested  to  them,  ever  since  Moses  was  first  sent  to  them,  and  though 
they  had  already  shown  themselves  dissatisfied  on  several  occasions,  yet  had 


62  THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI. 

children,  on  the  third  generation  and  fourth  generation,  of  those  who 
hate  me ;  but  am  doing  mercy  unto  the  thousandth  generation  of 
those  who  love  me  and  keep  my  commandments. 

3.  Thou  shalt  not  bear  the  name  of  the  Eternal  thy  God  in  vain, 
(not  use  it  without  necessity,  nor  at  an  untruth,)  for  the  Eternal  will 
not  suffer  him  to  remain  unpunished,  who  beareth  his  name  in  vain. 

4.  Remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days  thou 
mayest  labour  and  do  all  thy  work ;  but  the  seventh  is  a  day  of  rest 
in  honour  of  the  Eternal  thy  God ;  then  thou  shalt  not  do  any  manner 
of  work,  neither  thyself,  nor  thy  son,  thy  daughter,  thy  man  and  thy 
maid-servant,  not  even  thy  cattle,  and  the  stranger  who  is  within  thy 
gates.  For  in  six  days  did  the  Eternal  make  heaven  and  earth,  the 
sea  and  all  that  is  in  them,  and  refrained  from  work  on  the  seventh 
day ;  therefore  did  the  Eternal  bless  the  Sabbath-day,  and  declare  it 
holy. 

5.  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may  be  long 
upon  the  land,  which  the  Eternal  thy  God  giveth  thee. 

6.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  murder. 

7.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 

8.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

they  never  been  punished,  except  we  consider  the  attack  of  Amalake  as  a 
punishment.  But  now  God  told  them  what  was  their  duty,  and  that  it  was 
obligatory  upon  them  to  do  what  they  were  certified  to  be  right:  and  as 
they  now  knew,  what  God  considered  as  right,  they  should  be  punished  for 
transgressing  the  precepts  of  the  law,  or  in  other  words  for  doing  wrong ; 
and  therefore  did  God  continue  :  "  I  am  xjp  bx"  a  God,  who  am  ever  watchful 
and  remembering  all  that  happens,  and  therefore  ready  to  punish,  where  punish- 
ment is  due.  If  this  explanation  is  correct,  it  follows,  that  God,  according  to 
our  Bible  is  not  a  vindictive  Being,  but  a  just  Judge,  who,  as  such,  punishes 
all  sins  against  his  will,  because  they  are  offences  against  the  standard  of  right. 
"  But  does  not  the  Hebrew  word  fcUD  always  mean  jealous,  in  its  common 
acceptation?"  No,  for  we  find  in  Numbers  chapter  xxv.  11  v. :TliOp  HN  1NJD3 
which  is  very  properly  translated,  "  because  he  was  zealous  for  my  sake." 
See  also  the  succeeding  chapter,  and  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Religion,  page  37, 
note  ;  and  I  may  add  here,  that  when  the  within  was  written,  this  book  was  not 
in  my  possession,  which  is  another  proof,  that  all  who  study  the  Bible  with  can- 
dour and  honest  zeal  will  generally  agree  with  each  other  in  their  conclusions, 
although  they  are  divided  by  time  and  space.  And  is  this  not  a  beautiful  com- 
mentary upon  the  truth  of  the  Mosaic  revelation  ? 


THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI.  63 

9.  Thou  shalt  not  answer  as  a  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour. 

10.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house.  Thou  shalt  not 
covet  thy  neighbour's  wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid  servant, 
nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  any  thing  else  which  belongs  to  thy 
neighbour." 

The  foregoing  precepts  are  technically  called  :  the  ten  command- 
ments or  the  Decalogue,  and  are  the  foundation  of  our  whole  civil, 
moral  and  religious  code. 

When  the  Israelites  heard  these  precepts  announced  from  on  high, 
they  were  filled  with  fear  and  apprehension.  For  the  voice  of  the 
Eternal  had  not  been  heard  by  any  other  people  before  them,  and 
they  had  therefore  beheld  and  heard  that,  which  no  mortals  ever 
before  had  seen  or  heard.  The  Israelites  had  desired  to  be  convinced 
with  their  own  eyes  of  the  truth  of  Moses's  mission,  and  they  had 
wished  to  hear  the  word  proclaimed  by  God  himself.  They  had 
been  gratified,  they  had  seen  the  glory  of  God,  as  He  proceeded  from 
Sinai,  and  shone  unto  them  from  Sayir,  and  sent  his  beaming  light 
forth  from  Paran,  and  came  with  myriads  of  saints ;  and  they  had 
received  from  his  right  hand  the  law  as  pure  as  fire,  as  they  lay 
prostrate  before  him.  (Deut.  xxxiii.) — Being  therefore  now  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  Moses's  mission,  they  begged  of  him,  to  receive,  by 
himself  alone,  the  commandments,  which  God  might  ordain  for  their 
government,  and  that  he  should  teach  them  afterwards,  what  he  had 
learned ;  for  they  themselves  were  in  fear  of  losing  their  lives,  should 
they  witness  again  the  great  fire,  which  was  yet  burning,  while  they 
were  speaking  to  Moses. — But  he  wished  to  induce  them  to  perse- 
vere in  receiving  themselves  the  other  commandments,  and  he 
therefore  answered :  "  Fear  not,  for  only  to  prove  you  did  God 
come,  and  that  his  fear  might  be  upon  your  faces,  that  you  may  not 
sin.  When  Moses  however  heard  from  God,  that  the  request  of  the 
Israelites  was  pleasing  to  him,  he  then,  but  not  till  then,  consented 
to  be  the  instructer  of  the  people  and  to  tell  them  all,  which  he 
should  hear  announced  by  God. 

In  this  manner  became  Moses  the  messenger  of  God  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Israel,  and  their  messenger  to  and  interceder  with  God.  Can 
it  be  believed,  that  a  man  thus  honoured  should  promulgate  laws  of 
his  own,  should  teach  aught  but  the  word  of  God  ?  The  man  chosen 
by  God  and  confided  in  by  the  Israelites  could  not  have  acted  so ; 


64  THE  DESCENT  ON  SINAI. 

whatever  he  taught  was  the  word  of  God,  and  all  his  thoughts  were 
for  the  safety  of  the  Israelites,  and  when  they  sinned  and  deserved 
utter  annihilation,  he  offered  himself  to  die,  that  they  might  escape. 
Much  had  he  to  encounter,  many  difficulties  had  he  to  overcome ; 
but  he  at  length  succeeded,  and  the  descendants  of  Jacob  confided  in 
him  when  alive,  and  wept  for  him  when  he  was  dead.  Shall  any 
man  in  the  present  age  dare  to  slander  such  a  good,  such  a  pious 
man,  call  his  words  untruths,  and  his  miracles  deceptions  1  Can  it 
be  possible,  that  his  contemporaries,  who  saw  him  act,  who  heard  him 
speak,  should  have  confided  in  him,  if  he  had  been  a  deceiver  ?  And 
that  they  did  believe  him,  is  evident,  from  our  existence  as  a  distinct 
nation.  For  it  cannot  be  denied  by  any  human  being  that  we  exist 
now ;  nor,  that  we  did  exist  in  the  days  of  Tacitus ;  nor,  that  we 
existed  in  the  days  of  Ezra,  nor  previous  thereto ;  if  we  then  proceed 
to  trace  our  origin  backwards,  we  must,  and  so  must  even  the  most 
obdurate  doubter,  arrive  at  the  days  of  our  blessed  legislator,  as  the 
time  of  our  first  becoming  a  nation,  with  peculiar  manners  and  dis- 
tinct laws.  If  this  is  true,  (and  there  exists  not  the  man,  who  can 
disprove  it,)  then  it  is  also  true,  that  it  would  argue  the  grossest 
ignorance  of  human  nature,  to  believe,  that  one  man  unaided  should 
have  been  able  to  impose  upon  two  successive  generations,  and  that 
he  was  unaided,  cannot  be  denied. — Let  us  therefore  rather  believe, 
that  Moses  was  sent  by  God,  (the  ability  of  the  Creator  to  do  it  can- 
not be  doubted,)  to  work  those  miracles,  and  that  it  was  the  word 
of  the  living  God  which  Moses  taught ! 


65 


CHAPTER  XI11. 


THE    DECALOGUE. 


Having  in  the  preceding  chapter  enumerated  the  precepts  con- 
tained in  the  Decalogue,  1  hope  to  be  excused,  if  1  pause  in  my 
argument  relative  to  the  divine  origin  of  our  law,  and  proceed  to  ex- 
plain the  Commandments  themselves  ;  for  1  can  assure  my  readers, 
that  if  they  once  understand  the  true  bearing  of  the  Mosaic  institu- 
tions, they  must  confess  either  that  Moses,  more  than  any  other  man 
who  ever  lived,  united  in  himself  the  philosopher,  legislator,  and 
governor,  and  that  as  such,  he  is  entitled  to  be  imitated  and  obeyed 
from  our  own  free  choice ;  or  that  his  wisdom  and  power  of  mind 
were  given  him  for  the  special  purpose  mentioned  in  his  books,  by 
the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Most  High,  that  he  merely  copied 
the  words  spoken  to  him,  and  therefore,  Moses's  laws  (not  Moses 
himself)  are  to  be  obeyed  implicitly,  without  our  enquiring  at  every 
turn  :  "  Can  1  understand  the  reason  of  this  or  that  particular  pre- 
cept ?"  For  since  they  are  all  and  every  one  the  emanations  of  the 
will  of  God,  they  must  be  obeyed,  though  we  be  ignorant  of  the  rea- 
sons the  Almighty  had  in  giving  these,  to  us  mysterious,  laws.  This 
point  will  be  more  clearly  illustrated  in  a  subsequent  part  of  this 
work,  and  I  shall  therefore  commence,  without  further  preface,  with 
the  explanation*  of  the  Decalogue. 

Precept  I.  1  am  the  Eternal  thy  God,  icho  have  brought  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of  slavery. 

Most,  if  not  all  Christian  commentators,  think  this  verse  only  a 
kind  of  preamble  to  the  Decalogue ;  we  Jews,  however,  take  it  to 
be  the  first  commandment.  Its  meaning  is  this  :  "  You  Israelites 
have  been  in  Egypt,  and  you  were  taken  thence  by  a  Power  supe- 
rior to  man.  I  am  that  Power,  lam  the  Eternal ;  do  not  believe 
that  there  are  more  persons  in  the  Deity  than  one  ;  no,  /  am  your 

*  For  a  more  particular  elucidation  of  the  Decalogue  than  is  here  given,  see 
"  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Religion,"  page  39  and  seq. 


66  THE  DECALOGUE. 

God,  indivisible  and  all-powerful.  Acknowledge  me  alone  and  none 
esle — Therefore, 

Precefp  II.       Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me,  <$fc. 

Since  I  have  told  you  that  there  is  no  God  besides  me,  it  is  un- 
lawful for  you  to  worship  any  thing  else,  no  matter  what  its  strength, 
beauty,  or  wisdom  may  be.  But  some  one  of  you  may  think :  "  True, 
I  will  not  worship  any  other  being,  but  the  Eternal  God ;  but  can  I 
do  wrong,  if  I  make  myself  a  symbol,  to  remind  me  always  of  his 
power  ?  I  will  make  an  image  to  represent  God,  and  this  image 
shall  admonish  me  of  the  greatness  of  my  Creator ;  1  will  look  at  the 
sun,  and  prostrate  myself  before  him,  and  adore  the  Creator  by  wor- 
shipping the  most  powerful  creature;  the  earth,  through  God's 
bounty  nourishing  all  mankind,  shall  be  to  me  the  emblem  of  his 
goodness,  and  the  pure  flame,  the  emblem  of  his  purity." — Therefore 
do  I  command  you,  not  to  make  yourselves  any  personification  or 
representation  of  the  Deity,  for  I  am  incorporeal,  you  know  not  my 
essence  (Deut.  iv.) ;  and  under  what  figure  will  you  represent  me, 
since  you  have  never  seen  me  1  And  then  you  will  sin  if  you  prostrate 
yourselves  before  images  and  creatures,  or  pay  them  religious  ado- 
ration. No  image  can  represent  me,  the  light  of  the  sun  is  darkness 
compared  to  me,  and  the  fire  is  impure  compared  to  my  holiness. — 
But  do  not  imagine,  that  because  I  am  good,  deviations  from 
my  commandments  will  have  no  serious  consequences ;  do  not  de- 
ceive yourselves  with  such  specious  self-delusions,  for  I  am  careful 
of  my  honour,  and  you  will  be  punished  if  you  act  wrong;  and  if 
the  son  follow  the  sins  of  the  father,  if  the  grandson  or  great-grand- 
son imitate  his  ancestors'  apostacy,  each  will  be  punished,  not  alone 
for  his  own  sins,  but  receive  also  a  share  of  the  punishment  his  progeni- 
tors have  incurred  for  their  wickedness.  But  do  not  think,  that  the 
punishment  for  vice  will  be  in  a  greater  degree,  than  the  reward  for 
virtue  ;  no — for  I  will  do  good  even  to  the  thousandth  generation  for 
the  virtuous  actions  of  their  ancestors,  if  they  obey  my  words.  You 
will  therefore  be  convinced,  that  though  I  will  punish  vice,  I  am  yet 
benevolent,  and  that  I  rather  reward,  than  punish ;  since  the  pun- 
ishment for  sin  will  be  continued  only,  to  the  fourth,  whilst  the 
thousandth  generation  will  be  benefited  by  the  virtue  of  the  an- 
cestors. 


THE  DECALOGUE.  67 

Precept  TIL     Thou  shalt  not  bear  the  name  of  the  Eternal  thy 
God  in  vain,  fyc* 

When  you  are  called  upon  to  testify  to  the  truth  of  any  thing,  be 
very  careful  how  you  call  upon  me  to  be  a  witness  to  your  actions ; 
no  falsehood  can  I  allow,  nothing  but  truth  will  satisfy  me,  who  am 
the  God  of  truth.  Do  not  mention  my  name  upon  frivolous  occasions, 
for  I  am  holy,  I  am  your  God,  your  Father,  your  Protector,  you 
must  venerate  me  even  in  your  words  and  thoughts  ;  do  not  therefore 
mention  my  name,  except  when  it  becomes  necessary,  either  to 
asseverate  any  thing,  the  truth  of  which  can  be  established  solely 
through  your  oath,  or  when  addressing  me  in  prayer. — 1  cannot  suf- 
fer any  levity  with  my  name,  and  will  therefore  punish  every  one, 
who  impiously  uses  it  frivolously  or  falsely.* 
Precept  IV.  Remember]  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy,  <$>c. 
I  have  commanded  you  to  acknowledge  me  your  God,  and  to  ab- 
stain from  idolatry ;  and  I  now  further  command  you  to  set  apart  the 
seventh  day  of  every  week  for  my  service  and  your  recreation,  as  I 
abstained  from  work  after  I  had  created  the  world.     But  if  you 
should  ask,  what  proof  have  we,  that  that  Being  who  speaks  to  us 
now,  is  the  author  of  all  1  then  will  I  advise  you  to  remember,  that 
you  have  been  slaves  in  Egypt,  and  that  J  conducted  you  thence. 
Your  redemption  was  brought  about,  as  you  remember,  by  my 
changing  the  regular  course  of  nature.     The  river  was  filled  with 
blood,  instead  of  water;  the  land  that  formerly  smiled  with  plenty, 
and  was  as  lovely  as  Eden,  was  visited  with  hail  and  locusts,  in  a 
manner  unheard  of  before  ;  and  the  country,  where  the  sun  always 
shines  bright,  where  a  cloudy  day  is  never  known,  was  shrouded  for 
three  days  in  impenetrable  gloom.     After  you  had  left  the  land  of 
your  affliction  and  had  arrived  near  the  Red  Sea,  you  saw  nothing 
before  you,  but  death  in  the  troubled  billows  of  the  ocean,  and 

*  The  Jews  never  pronounce  the  name  of  God  as  it  is  written,  and  only  the 
priests  were  allowed  to  do  so  when  they  blessed  the  people,  and  the  high-priest 
during  the  sacrifices  on  the  Day  of  Atonement.  (See  Yoma  and  the  Musaph  of 
Kippur.) 

t  In  the  commentary  on  this  precept,  I  have  endeavoured  to  unite  the  ori- 
ginal Decalogue  (Exo.  chap,  xx.)  with  the  recapitulation  of  it  by  Moses  in  Deut. 
chap.  v. — But  these  remarks  are  not  my  own  discovery,  since  I  am  indebted  for 
them  to  my  esteemed  instructer,  Rabbi  Benjamin  Cohen,  to  whom  I  owe  also 
several  other  remarks,  of  which  I  have  made  use  without  acknowledgment. 


68  THE  DECALOGUE. 

naught  behind  you,  but  destruction  from  the  countless  host  of  Egypt; 
when  all  of  a  sudden  the  sea  divided  and  piled  itself  up  in  two  solid 
walls. — Who  wrought  these  wonders  ]  It  was  I  the  Eternal,  who 
have  also  redeemed  you  to  be  my  people.  Who,  I  ask  you,  can 
change  nature,  but  nature's  Lord  ?  Who  again  is  nature's  Lord,  but 
nature's  Creator?  You  must  therefore  acknowledge,  that  I  your 
God,  who  changed  the  natural  course  of  events  in  Egypt,  (and  of  this 
you  were  all  witnesses,)  am  nature's  Lord,  am  nature's  Creator.  I 
created  the  earth  you  stand  on,  the  sea  which  surrounds  you,  and  the 
wide  expanse  of  ether,  in  which  the  innumerable  systems  are  fixed 
and  sustained  by  my  will  alone,  in  six  days :  I  spoke,  and  all  that 
you  see  rose  into  existence ;  but  when  I  on  the  sixth  day  had  finished 
my  creation,  by  making  man,  I  ceased  and  made  nothing  more  ;  for 
on  the  seventh  day,  after  all  had  been  produced  from  nothing,  1 
added  not  the  least  to  the  system  I  had  approved  of  on  the  sixth, 
(Genesis  i.  and  ii.)  and  I  now  fix  it  as  a  day  of  rest  to  be  held 
sacred,  and  to  be  strictly  observed  by  the  last  descendants  of  your 
nation,  in  remembrance  of  the  creation  of  the  world  and  your  re- 
demption from  Egypt. 

I  moreover  do  not  command  the  heads  of  families  alone  to  rest, 
but  each  member  of  your  families,  even  your  servants,  nay  even  your 
cattle — every  thing  shall  rest  on  my  Sabbath-day  ;  the  voice  of  the 
oppressor  shall  then  be  hushed,  and  the  sigh  of  the  bondman  shall 
not  be  called  forth,  but  calmness,  peace,  and  content  shall,  on  that 
day,  reign  amongst  you — You  have  no  right  to  call  this  command- 
ment hard  and  oppressive,  to  be  compelled  to  rest  one  day  out  of 
seven  ;  for  I  allow  you  six  days,  to  do  every  thing  you  have  to  do ;  I 
do  not  restrain  you  from  doing  any  lawful  work  in  all  this  time ;  but 
having  been  employed  six  days  in  pursuits  for  the  promotion  of  your 
interest  or  amusement,  you  must  dedicate  one  day  to  my  service. 
On  that  day  you  must  visit  the  places  where  you  can  receive  in- 
struction in  my  laws,  that  you  may  know  how  to  serve  me.  You 
are  also  to  abstain  from  labour,  that  by  a  suspension  of  your  daily 
toil,  you  may  acquire  fresh  strength  for  renewed  exertion  in  the 
coming  week.  On  that  day  your  servant  shall  have  leisure  to  think, 
as  well  as  his  master,  of  their  common  Maker,  and  breathe  more 
freely  than  he  can  do  on  those  days  when  he  is  engaged  in  his  toil- 
some task.     Your  rest  shall  be  quiet ;  no  noise  or  shout  of  revelry 


THE  DECALOGUE.  69 

must  be  heard  in  your  streets,  and  not  even  slight  work,  which  re- 
quires no  exertion,  is  allowed  to  be  done.  Remember  it  is  the  Sab- 
bath !  Do  not  speak  about  business,  make  no  bargains  even  by  word 
alone,  and  do  not  arrange  plans  of  labour  for  the  coming  week ;  but 
abstract  yourselves  altogether  from  your  usual  occupations,  devote 
this  day  entirely  to  me,  your  God,  and  let  the  weekly  day  of  rest 
be  a  symbol  to  you  of  the  day  of  bliss  of  the  righteous,  after  they 
have  thrown  off  the  covering  of  clay,  when  there  is  no  care,  no  toil, 
no  grief,  no  tears,  no  master,  no  oppressor ;  but  where  all  is  security, 
peace  and  joy  ! 

Precept  V.     Honour*  thy  father  and  mother,  <fyc. 

When  hitherto,  O  children  of  Israel,  I  have  spoken  to  you  only  of 
things  relating  to  my  own  service,  I  have  now  to  reveal  to  you  the 
duties  from  man  to  man.  The  first  of  human  beings,  who  claim  the 
attention,  regard,  and  honour  of  each  of  you,  are  his  father  and 
mother.  Be  careful  in  your  behaviour  towards  them,  honour  them 
while  living,  and  do  not  slander  their  memory  when  they  are  dead ; 
and  although  they  are  then  not  present  to  punish  you,  yet  have  I 
given  the  judges  amongst  you  power  to  punish  with  death  that  un- 
grateful son,  who  curses  his  father  or  his  mother. — Do  not  think 
this  punishment  too  severe,  for  he  who  can  forget  his  duty  towards 
his  father  and  mother,  will  soon  neglect  his  duties  towards  God  and 
his  fellow-men,  and  he  does  not,  therefore,  deserve  to  live. — Do  fur- 
ther treat  both  your  parents  alike.  Though  your  father  may  chas- 
tise you  more  than  your  mother,  remember  he  is  your  father,  that 
his  chastisements  are  intended  for  your  benefit,  to  bring  you  by  gen- 
tle and  well-timed  punishment  to  an  acknowledgment  of  your  errors 
and  failings,  and  that,  by  correcting  them,  you  may  become  better 
and  more  worthy  members  of  society,  than  if  he,  by  ill-timed  indul- 
gence, be  blind  to  your  errors,  and  from  mistaken  affection  fail  to 
correct  you.  Be  also  careful  of  paying  proper  respect  to  your  mo- 
ther's commands.  Though  she  may  not  always  inflict  punishment 
when  you  deserve  it,  do  not  on  that  account  grow  indifferent  about 
obeying  her ;  consider  she  is  your  mother,  and  therefore,  entitled 
to  your  obedience  no  less,  than  your  father.     In  short,  honour  your 

*  In  Leviticus,  chap.  xix.  v.  3,  it  says  :  "  Each  of  you  shall  fear  his  mother  and 
father,  and  observe  my  Sabbaths,"  for  an  explanation  (the  same  as  is  given  above) 
see  the  commentary  of  Rabbi  Solomon  Yarchi,  on  this  passage. 


70  THE  DECALOGUE. 

father,  although  he  chastise  you,  and  fear  your  mother,  though  on 
account  of  the  benignity  of  female  disposition,  she  be  often  too  indul- 
gent towards  your  failings. 

1  have  said  that  you  should  be  punished  for  disobedience  to  your 
parents  ;  but  there  is  also  reward  destined  for  you,  if  you  observe 
this  my  commandment.  Though  I  have  said  that  father  and  mo- 
ther are  to  be  obeyed,  yet  must  you  never  think  yourselves  at 
liberty,  to  violate  any  of  my  commandments,  because  your  parents 
desire  or  even  command  it :  no — they,  no  less  than  you,  are  my 
creatures  and  my  servants. — You,  it  is  true,  owe  in  a  measure 
your  life  to  them ;  but  they  and  you  live  solely  by  my  will,  and 
equally  with  yourselves  they  are  bound  to  serve  me.  If  therefore, 
your  father  tells  you  to  violate,  for  instance,  the  Sabbath,  you  must 
disobey  him,  because  obedience  to  him  in  that  case,  would  be  disobe- 
dience to  your  God ! 

Precept  VI.     Thou  shall  not  commit  murder. 

Not  alone  towards  me  and  your  parents  have  you  certain  duties 
to  fulfil,  but  also  to  your  other  fellow-mortals.  Whatever  has  been 
assigned  by  my  providence  or  permission  to  your  neighbour,  or  even 
to  your  enemy,  must  be  sacred  in  his  possession.  In  the  first  place : 
You  shall  take  away  no  man's  life,  unless  he  aim  at  yours,  and  in 
that  case  only  when  be  has  expressed  his  intentions  so  fully,  that 
there  is  no  doubt  of  his  willingness  to  do  so,  whenever  he  has  an  op- 
portunity, and  then  only,  if  his  death  is  the  only  means  of  saving 
your  or  another  person's  life.  At  all  events  it  is  your  duty  to  apply 
to  the  judges,  rather  than  to  procure  justice  for  yourselves  by  your 
strong  arm  and  violence.  You  are  not  allowed  to  maim  any  person 
or  do  him  any  bodily  mischief  whatever. — You  are  not  permitted  to 
lay  violent  hands  upon  yourselves,  your  lives  are  in  my  keeping,  for 
I  have  placed  the  soul  in  your  body,  and  as  men,  therefore,  you 
can  have  no  right  to  appear  before  my  judgment-throne  uncalled ; 
but  through  whatever  sufferings  you  have  to  pass,  you  must  remain 
on  earth,  and  bear  your  misfortunes  with  fortitude ;  for  know,  that 
there  is  sufficient  reward  in  my  power  to  pay  you  for  your  patience 
in  enduring,  and  resignation  in  suffering  !  Even  in  this  life,  you 
see  that  I  often  reward  constancy  and  patience  ;  and  can  I  not  repay 
him  a  thousand-fold,  who  suffers  with  patience  and  dies  resigned,  be- 
cause he  thinks  that  by  so  doing  he  is  serving  me  ? 


THE  DECALOGUE.  71 

Precept  VII.     Thou  shall  not  commit  adultery. 

Since  the  object  of  the  promulgation  of  my  commandments  is  to 
secure  in  the  most  ample  manner  the  security  and  peace  of  society, 
I  enjoin  upon  you  to  abstain  from  every  act,  which  in  the  most 
remote  degree  could  injure  the  security  and  peace  of  the  domestic 
circle,  or  which  could  lead  others  to  ruin,  or  bring  them  in  the  way 
of  sin — You  have  heard,  that  the  safety  of  your  neighbour's  life  and 
limb  is  dear  to  me  ;  but  his  home  also  must  remain  uninvaded  by  the 
arts  and  wiles  of  the  seducer.  Permit  him  therefore  to  be  gladdened 
by  the  partner  that  has  been  assigned  to  him  to  share  his  earthly 
toil,  and  who  is  the  solace  of  his  hours  of  woe,  and  the  attentive 
mother  of  his  children ;  and  rather  rejoice,  that  your  brother  is  so 
blest.  And  reflect,  how  miserable  he  would  be,  if  he  discovers  that 
she,  in  whom  he  so  fondly  confided,  has  been  untrue  to  her  duty,  and 
bestowed  her  embraces  upon  a  stranger. — Think  how  perhaps  he 
may  become  infuriated,  and  aim  at  the  heart's  blood  of  the  destroyer 
of  his  peace  ;  and  that  even,  if  the  husband  should  not  succeed  in  his 
revenge,  I  the  all-seeing  One  do  not  slumber,  but  will  assuredly  send 
destruction  unto  him  who  is  regardless  of  my  precepts. — Further 
you  must  know,  that  on  no  account  can  you  be  excused  for  inconti- 
nent conduct.  You  have  no  right  to  lure  any  female  from  the  path 
of  virtue  to  gratify  your  unholy  desires,  for  all  departures  from  the 
rules  of  the  strictest  morality  are  odious  to  me.  And  O  consider, 
the  state  of  misery  to  which  the  fallen,  weak-minded  and  confiding 
woman  is  exposed  !  Spurned  by  friends,  neglected  by  her  lovers,  and 
an  object  of  derision  to  every  stranger,  her  very  touch  is  pollution, 
her  breath  is  like  the  pestilence  !  and  she  is  rendered  so  only  to 
gratify  the  consuming  passion  of  the  ungodly  lover  of  pleasure ;  and 
only  when  too  late  she  curses  herself  and  her  immolator,  when  she 
sees  herself  forsaken  and  despised,  and  dying  prematurely,  without 
the  voice  of  comfort  to  breathe  consolation  to  her,  when  racked  by 
sickness  and  overwhelmed  at  the  idea  of  appearing  in  judgment 
before  my  awful  throne  ! — Let  it  therefore  be  your  constant  study, 
ye  children  of  Israel,  to  show  to  all  the  world  the  example  of  a  holy 
life,  which  I  demand  of  you,  and  that  you  are  deserving  of  the  name 
I  gave  you,  when  I  said :  "  Israel  is  my  first-born." 

Precept  VIII.     Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

Whatever  property  any  man  has  acquired  is  to  remain  his,  unless 


72  THE  DECALOGUE. 

I,/or  reasons  known  to  me,  deprive  him  of  it,  or  he  himself  volunta- 
rily resign  it.  You  have  no  right  to  take  even  the  smallest  trifle, 
which  is  not  strictly  and  honestly  your  own.  I  have  given  a  man 
riches,  and  who  should  have  the  right  to  take  it  away  from  him  by 
force  or  stratagem,  without  offending  me  ?  Does  not  the  thief  say 
by  his  actions,  that  he  knows  better  than  myself,  your  God,  how  to 
distribute  my  bounties?  But  let  not  the  rich  man  by  carelessness 
or  design  withhold  from  the  poor  labourer  his  wages,  even  for  one 
hour ;  the  poor  man  deserves  to  possess  that,  for  which  he  has  work- 
ed, and  to  withhold  it,  therefore,  is  theft. — Let  every  man,  who  may 
be  appointed  to  the  exalted  station  of  judge  amongst  you,  be  careful, 
how  he  decides  in  disputed  affairs  laid  before  him  for  his  decision. 
Let  him  be  careful  to  scan  the  evidence  on  both  sides,  and  decide 
impartially,  unswayed  by  bribes,  favour,  partiality,  compassion  or 
prejudice.  Let  him  decide  on  the  mere  abstract  question,  "  who  is 
right,"  and  let  him  consider,  that  he  is  in  a  measure  my  representa- 
tive on  earth,  and  he  must  therefore,  like  myself,  be  strictly  adhering 
to  what  is  right  without  the  slightest  deviation ;  for  if  through  neglect 
or  precipitancy  a  wrong  verdict  should  be  given  by  him,  he  robs 
the  party,  against  whom  the  wrong  decision  is  made  ;  and  the  man 
who  has  been  appointed  a  guardian  of  the  rights  of  the  people,  and 
a  defender  of  the  oppressed,  is  no  better  than  a  prowling  thief  or  a 
high-way  robber,  Again,  if  the  poor  man  come  before  a  judge  with 
a  complaint,  he  is  to  give  an  attentive  hearing  to  the  cause,  though 
the  matter,  for  which  the  poor  man  seek  redress,  be  but  a  trifle  !  and 
let  him  consider,  that,  what  is  to  the  wealthy  man  a  trifle,  may  be 
of  great  service  to  the  poor ;  and  further,  that  I,  the  Eternal  God, 
watch  with  as  much  solicitude  over  the  most  abject  wretch,  as  over 
the  king  on  his  throne,  and  the  judge  shall  for  this  reason  also,  con- 
sider the  trifle  of  the  poor  as  of  equal  importance,  in  point  of  right, 
with  the  immense  treasures  of  the  rich  man. 

Precept  IX.  Thou  shalt  not  answer  as  a  false  witness  against 
thy  neighbour* 

Some  one  of  you  may  say:  "I  will  not  murder  my  neighbour,  I 
will  not  seduce  his  wife,  nor  will  I  steal  his  property ;  but  he  has 
offended  me,  and  since  he  is  sued  for  a  certain  sum  of  money,  which 
in  fact  he  does  not  owe,  but  if  I  give  testimony  against  him,  he  will 
be  obliged  to  pay  it ;  1  will  not  let  this  opportunity  pass  without 


THE  DECALOGUE.  73 

making  him  feel  my  resentment."  Let  me  admonish  you  all,  not  to 
rob  your  neighbour  in  such  an  indirect  manner,  though  no  ultimate 
benefit  may  result  to  you  from  such  conduct. — If  a  man  is  upon  his 
trial  for  any  crime,  for  which,  if  convicted,  he  is  to  suffer  bodily 
punishment,  do  not  speak  any  thing  as  a  witness  against  him,  which 
in  any  manner  might  be  adverse  to  truth.  On  the  contrary,  when 
you  are  obliged  to  give  evidence,  consider  that  you  are  standing 
before  your  God,  that  every  action,  every  word,  of  yours  will  be 
noticed,  never  to  be  forgotten ;  say  nothing  which  is  not  strictly  true 
to  the  best  of  your  knowledge ;  but  it  is  also  obligatory  upon  you,  to 
say  all  you  may  happen  to  know,  though  it  might  injure  your  friend 
and  benefit  your  enemy,  for  it  is  your  duty  to  speak  out,  and  to  show 
favour  to  no  man ;  but  let  truth  be  ever  your  guide,  and  fear  not  the 
consequences,  for  the  more  painful  the  duty,  the  greater  the  sacrifice 
of  personal  feelings  is  :  the  greater  must  your  merit  be,  the  greater 
also  will  be  your  reward ! 

Precept  X.      Thou  shall  not  covet  fyc* 

I  have  already  told  you,  that  you  must  not  injure  your  neighbour 
by  conduct ;  but  in  your  own  thoughts  even  you  are  not  to  meditate 
him  any  injury,  much  less  attempt  to  execute  your  thoughts  ;  for  you 
are  not  permitted  to  covet  that  which  is  not  yours.  Do  not  desire 
to  possess  any  thing  belonging  to  any  body  else  ;  for  if  once  you  give 
full  sway  to  your  desires,  if  but  once  you  contemplate  the  means  of 
satisfying  your  wish,  you  have  already  committed  the  sin  of  tres- 
pass by  half.  You  will  not  long  remain  satisfied  with  desiring ; 
but  you  will  soon  contrive  means  of  getting  the  desired  article  in 
your  possession.  Do  therefore  guard  yourselves  against  covetous- 
ness,  and  you  will  not  have  to  struggle  hard  against  temptation  to 
sin.  Let  your  expectations  be  moderate,  and  less  will  satisfy  you ; 
desire  little,  and  you  will  be  content  with  the  humble  lot  1  may 
assign  to  you ;  envy  not  your  neighbours,  and  you  will  be  happy,  if 
they  are  happy,  and  feel  heart-felt  pleasure,  if  all  around  you  are 
affluent,  honoured  and  beloved.  And  think  not,  that  you  will  suffer 
any  loss  by  so  doing ;  for  your  own  peace  of  mind  will  be  accompa- 
nied by  the  respect,  love  and  gratitude  of  all  good  men,  and  by  the 
good  will,  grace  and  satisfaction  of  your  Maker  !  " 


10 


74 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE    JEWISH    COMMONWEALTH. 


It  will  be  self-evident  to  every  one,  who  but  glances  at  the  Deca- 
logue, that  its  precepts  are  the  foundation  of  the  whole  Mosaic  law. 
If  we  search  through  all  the  statutes  of  this  code,  they  can  be  traced 
to  one  or  more  of  the  precepts  of  the  Decalogue  ;  and  thus  it  will  be 
seen,  that  though  but  ten  commandments  were  made  known  to  the 
Israelites  without  a  mediator,  it  may  yet  be  said  that  all  the  re- 
maining civil,  moral,  and  ceremonial  ordinances  are  contained  and 
comprehended  in  them,  and  it  may  therefore  be  maintained,  that  to 
a  certain  extent  the  whole  law  was  communicated  to  the  whole  ls- 
raelitish  nation. — As  an  illustration  of  this  let  us  consider  the  duties 
towards  God,  as  we  find  them  detailed  in  Deuteronomy,  in  connection 
with  the  first  precept. 

If  it  is  once  solemnly  impressed  upon  our  minds  that  we  owe  our 
being  and  our  preservation  to  the  Almighty  Creator,  who  liveth  for 
everlasting,  and  who  reigneth  through  all  eternity,  we  must  be  im- 
pressed with  feelings  of  awe  at  his  greatness,  with  sentiments  of  ad- 
miration at  his  wisdom,  and  with  gratitude  for  his  kindness  and 
mercy.  All  this  will  lead  us  to  adore  and  love  this  great  Being,* 
who  shows  us  kindnessf  when  we  act  righteously ;  defends  us  from 
danger  and  injury,  when  we  are  menaced  ;f  and  forgives  us  our 
transgressions,  when  we  repent  of  our  errors.||  Have  we  thus  es- 
tablished the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts,  we  will  naturally  desire  to 
do  something,  by  which  we  can  manifest  our  love,  and  to  let  our 
feelings  be  displayed  in  our  actions.  But  as  we  can  neither  injure 
God  by  our  misconduct,  nor  benefit  him  by  any  thing  we  can  accom- 
plish, since  He  is  so  far  elevated  above  us  in  power  and  beatitude : 
we  can  do  nothing  else  in  requital  of  his  goodness,  we  can  show  our 
love  in  no  other  manner,  save  by  listening  with  profound  attention 

*  Deut.  chap.  vi.  v.  5.  t  Ibid.  chap.  vii.  v.  9. 

X  Ibid.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  15.  ||  Ibid.  chap.  xxx.  v.  2  and  3. 


THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH.  75 

to  his  instruction,*  which  is  contained  in  the  revelation  He  has  given, 
and  regulating  our  lives  by  the  records  of  his  will. 

This  idea  is  beautifully  illustrated  in  the  tenth  chapter  of  Deuter- 
onomy, commencing  at  the  twelfth  verse.  There  is  not  perhaps  in 
the  whole  Bible,  though  full  of  passages  strikingly  grand  for  their 
beauty  and  force,  not  another  passage  more  calculated  to  awaken 
religious  awe  in  the  soul  of  man,  than  the  one  we  are  speaking  of. 
It  places  before  our  eyes  the  relative  position  which  man  bears  to 
his  Maker  in  the  strongest  light.  God  is  exhibited  as  the  greatest 
conceivable  being,  in  possession  of  the  immensity  of  space,  and  of 
every  thing  animate  and  inanimate  contained  therein ;  man  among 
this  infinity  is  almost  nothing ;  and  still  he  is  told,  that  his  case, 
his  life,  and  his  wants  are  objects  of  importance  to  the  Deity,  from 
whom  nothing  is  hidden,  be  it  ever  so  insignificant.  Further,  that 
obedience,  love  of  God,  and  justice  and  kindness  towards  others,  are 
deeds  which  will  propitiate  the  favour  of  the  infinite  One,  and  that 
this  exhibition  of  piety  is  a  thing  desired  of  man.  Who  will  not  now 
be  willing,  so  to  say,  to  oblige  the  Creator  ?  who  would  withhold 
obedience,  when  man  can  gain  so  great  a  prize  by  it  1  But  I  need 
not  comment  on  a  passage  so  very  lucid  in  itself,  and  will  present  it 
therefore  entire  to  the  reader,  and  let  him  compare  it  with  the  idea 
advanced,  that  through  the  whole  Bible  the  same  chain  of  thoughts 
and  precepts  is  continually  kept  in  view. 

Moses  had  been  reminding  the  Israelites  in  a  preceding  part  of  the 
address  he  held  to  them  a  short  «time  before  his  death,  of  the  many 
benefits  they  had  received  from  God,  and  how  often  He  had  par- 
doned their  sins  ;  and  then  proceeded  to  say  : 

"  And  now,  O  Israel !  what  does  the  Eternal,  thy  God,  ask  of  thee, 
but  to  fear  Him,  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  to 
love  Him,  and  to  serve  Him,  the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul ;  to  observe  the  commandments  of  the  Lord, 
and  his  statutes,  which  I  command  thee  this  day,  that  thou  mayst 
fare  well. — Behold  the  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  belong  to 
the  Eternal  thy  God,  also  the  earth,  and  all  that  is  upon  it.  Only  in 
thy  ancestors  did  the  Lord  find  pleasure,  and  He  therefore  chose 
their  descendants  after  them,  namely  you,  from  all  the  nations,  as 
you  see  this  day.     Lay  then  aside  all  wickedness  of  heart,  and  be  no 

*  Dent.  chap.  x.  v.  12. 


76  THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH. 

longer  stubborn  and  disobedient.  For  the  Eternal,  your  God,  is  the 
God  of  gods,  and  the  Lord  of  lords  ;  the  great,  the  mighty,  and  the 
terrible  God,  who  respecteth  no  face,  and  receiveth  no  bribe ;  who 
righteth  the  orphan  and  the  widow,  and  loveth  the  stranger,  to  give 
him  food  and  clothes.  And  love  you  the  stranger,  for  you  yourselves 
have  been  strangers  in  Egypt. —  The  Eternal  thy  God  thou  shalt 
fear,  Him  thou  shall  serve,  to  Him  thou  shalt  adhere,  and  by  his 
name  thou  shalt  swear  ;  He  is  thy  Glory,  and  He  is  thy  God,  who  has 
done  for  thee  these  great  and  wonderful  things,  which  thy  own  eyes 
have  seen." 

If  we  mortals  now  only  considered  how  much  we  owe  to  God, 
that  He  not  alone  gave  us  existence,  but  also  a  law,  to  make  this 
existence  beneficial  to  ourselves :  should  we  not  of  our  own  accord, 
and  even  without  the  certainty  of  punishment  for  transgression,  be 
diligent  in  the  study  of  his  law,  careful  in  the  observance  of  his  sta- 
tutes, in  short  dedicate  our  whole  life  to  his  glory  1  And  how  are 
we  commanded  to  act  1  To  imitate  God  in  his  acts  of  mercy,  as  far 
as  we  can.  Is  He  merciful  1  so  shall  we  be  too — Is  He  good  to  all 
mankind  1  so  shall  our  love  to  the  human  race  be  universal,  and  not 
confined  to  any  particular  sect — Does  He  show  us  benevolence  with- 
out any  possibility  of  remuneration  1  so  ought  our  charity  to  be,  pro- 
ceeding from  feelings  of  love,  pity,  and  goodness  of  heart,  but  should 
never  be  practised  for  the  sake  of  fame  or  reward — Does  He  teach 
the  world  how  to  act  rightly  ?  so  shall  we  also  be  ever  ready  to  dif- 
fuse the  knowledge  of  truth  and  -of  our  holy  law ;  in  fine,  to  be 
loving  God  and  be  perfect  means  to  practise  universal  charity ! 
How  then  can  the  freethinker,  or  even  the  atheist,  ridicule  our  law 
as  superstitious  and  injurious  to  society,  when  he  sees  the  love  of 
the  stranger  and  the  protection  of  those  who  need  our  protection, 
enjoined  at  the  same  time  with  the  observance  of  the  ceremonial 
law  {statutes  of  God)  1  Let  me  tell  him,  that  we  think  not  that  man 
good,  who  says  his  prayers  at  the  appointed  time,. is  a  regular  attend- 
ant at  the  place  of  worship,  but  is  unmindful  of  the  duties  towards 
man  ;  but  only  him  we  call  a  good  and  pious  man,  who  besides  being 
a  devout  observer  of  the  laws  relating  to  the  worship  of  God  alone, 
is  also  a  philanthropist,  syid  protects  the  orphan,  is  kind  to  the  wi- 
dow, comforts  the  distressed,  is  charitable  as  far  as  lies  in  his  power 
to  the  poor,  and  is  liberal,  and  just,  and  forgiving  to  the  affluent. — i 


THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH.  77 

cannot  stop  to  quote  passages  for  every  part  of  the  foregoing  asser- 
tions, since  the  Mosaic  law  is  so  replete  with  exhortations  and  in- 
junctions on  these  points,  that  they  are  to  be  met  with  in  almost 
every  chapter ;  it  is  moreover  my  hope  that  every  one,  who  reads 
this  defence,  may  be  induced  to  read  the  Pentateuch  through  with 
profound  attention,  and  long  quotations  can  be  of  but  little  use,  not  to 
say  tiresome,  to  most  readers. 

If  we  take  the  foregoing  in  connection  with  the  five  last  precepts 
of  the  Decalogue,  it  will  be  apparent,  that  our  law  is  very  careful 
in  guarding  the  rights  of  every  person  of  the  community,  from  the 
chief  of  the  nation  down  to  the  humble  stranger  who  has  no  perma- 
nent dwelling.  The  rights  of  every  individual  are  so  well  defined, 
that  no  misunderstanding  can  take  place. — When  we  yet  had  a 
government  of  our  own,  every  man  was  in  fact  upon  an  equality  with 
the  most  exalted  of  the  nation,  and  the  governors  were  raised  to 
the  dignity  they  possessed  only  by  the  choice  or  consent  of  their 
fellow-citizens.  The  Israelites  exercised  the  right  of  meeting  in 
'primary  assemblies,  without  permission  of  government,  and  of  discuss- 
ing public  matters,  also  of  petitioning  their  governors  for  the  redress 
of  grievances,  long  before  a  republican  constitution  of  that  kind  was 
known  amongst  other  nations.  (See  1st  Kings,  chap,  xii.)  Every 
Jew  was  eligible  to  any  office  he  was  capable  of  filling,  with  the 
exception  of  the  service  at  the  altar,  and  the  watches  in  the  temple, 
and  singing  whilst  the  sacrifices  were  offered.  But  even  here  the 
Israelites  proper  had  a  share,  as  well  as  the  priests  and  the  Levites. 
For  besides  the  twenty -four  divisions  of  the  two  latter,  there  were 
representatives  chosen  from  among  all  Israel,  who,  being  likewise 
divided  in  twenty -four  companies,  were  obliged  to  stand  by,  whilst 
the  sacrifices  were  going  forward  These  men  were  selected  from 
the  most  wise  and  virtuous,  and  were  called  no^D  'twx  (Anshay 
mangamakd). — Although  none  but  the  male  Levites  were  allowed 
to  sing  the  psalms  in  the  temple,  yet  were  the  Israelites,  and  even 
females,  permitted  to  accompany  the  singers  with  instrumental 
music.  So  that  even  in  the  temple  worship  and  the  sacrifices,  each 
of  the  three  divisions  had  their  particular  rights  assigned  to  them, 
which  were  on  no  account  to  be  invaded  or  usurped  by  the  other. 

It  has  been  intimated,  that  the  institutions  of  the  republic  of  the 
North  American  confederacy  are  of  modern  invention ;  but  this  can- 


78  THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH. 

not  be  admitted  as  altogether  founded  on  fact,  for  the  Mosaic  code 
was  evidently  intended  to  form  a  republic  of  freemen,  who  were  all 
equally  entitled  to  protection  from  the  government.  The  govern- 
ment of  the  Jews  was  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  word  a  government 
of  laivs,  and  not  of  arbitrary  rule.  It  is  true,  our  constitution  is 
not  the  work  of  the  people  themselves ;  but  then  it  has  that  advantage 
over  every  other  yet  invented,  that  its  laws  have  never,  to  this  very 
day,  required  the  slightest  amendment  or  repealing,  as  it  is  well 
known,  that  the  wisdom  of  every  precept  it  contains  has  been  proved 
by  the  experience  of  every  age.  It  is  almost  needless  to  compare 
our  laws  with  those  of  the  other  nations  of  antiquity,  for  none  of 
them  ever  enjoyed  any  rational  liberty ;  and  besides  it  is,  if  1  do  not 
err,  universally  admitted,  that  truly  free  governments  have  only  been 
formed  among  nations,  who  enjoyed,  at  least  to  a  certain  extent,  the 
light  of  revelation.  And  the  late  French  revolution  proves,  more 
than  any  argument  I  can  adduce,  that  no  nation  can  be  free,  which 
has  not  a  proper  respect  for  the  Mosaic  code;  and  the  virtuous  republic 
of  Switzerland  as  clearly  demonstrates,  that  a  people  truly  regardful 
of  the  word  of  God  must  ever  be  free,  for  a  thorough  knowledge  of  it 
is  the  best  safeguard  any  nation  can  devise  for  the  upholding  of  its 
liberty  and  the  crushing  of  tyranny,  whenever  it  should  dare  to  rear 
its  dreadful  and  blighting  head. — But  without  religion  liberty  soon 
degenerates  into  phrensied  licentiousness,  and  instead  of  a  govern- 
ment founded  on  reason  and  equal  rights,  despotism  and  the  spirit 
of  faction  will  govern  the  land  with  a  bloody  sceptre  and  unrelenting 
oppression ! 

Though  properly  speaking  it  does  not  belong  to  a  defence  of  our 
law  to  describe  our  judiciary  system ;  yet  can  I  not  refrain  from 
inserting  a  few  particulars  in  relation  thereto. — Money  matters  were 
decided  by  arbitrators,  chosen  by  the  parties  themselves,  each 
appointing  one,  and  these  two  selecting  a  third  ;  and  these  three, 
thus  chosen,  pronounced  judgment  ;  but  appeal  could  be  taken,  or 
rather  contested  points  of  law  and  equity  could  be  carried  before  the 
high-court  or  Sanhedrin  of  seventy-one  in  Jerusalem.  In  matters  of 
corporeal  punishment,  or  trials  for  life  and  death,  the  number  of 
judges  was  twenty-three,  and  if  there  was  but  a  majority  of  one  vote 
for  finding  the  criminal  guilty,  he  was  forthwith  to  be  set  free,  as  a 
division  of  thirteen  to  ten  was  necessarv  for  the  conviction  and  con- 


THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH.  79 

demnation  of  the  accused.  If  a  man  was  once  condemned,  his  sen- 
tence could  be  revised  to  save  him  from  death  ;  but  if  a  man  was  once 
acquitted,  though  there  should  afterwards  have  been  found  the  most 
positive  evidence  of  his  guilt,  he  could  not  be  tried  again  for  the 
same  offence.* 

We  thus  find  some  of  the  provisions  of  the  laws  of  the  American 
republic  practised  already  three  thousand  years  ago. — Every  con- 
tested point  of  law  of  whatever  description,  civil,  criminal,  or  cere- 
monial, was  finally  decided  upon  by  the  Sanhedrin,  and  their 
decision  was  to  be  strictly  obeyed.  (See  Deut.  chap.  xvii.  v.  11.)  To 
establish  any  cause,  it  was  necessary  to  produce  at  least  two  lawful 
witnesses,  who  were  obliged  to  testify  as  to  the  fact,  that  they  had 
seen  it,  and  forewarned  the  person  who  committed  the  act,  previously 
to  his  doing  so,  or  admonished  him  to  desist  while  engaged  in  the 
supposed  crime.  They  were  interrogated  separately,  so  that  one 
should  give  no  clue  to  the  other ;  in  this  way  any  discrepancy  in  the 
testimony  must  have  been  easily  detected,  in  which  case,  if  the  dif- 
ference was  a  material  one,  the  accused  was  acquitted.  In  case  the 
witnesses  could  be  convicted  of  having  offended  against  the  ninth 
precept  of  the  Decalogue,  they  were  to  be  punished  with  the  same 
punishment  the  person  by  them  accused  would  have  suffered  if  he  had 
been  convicted ;  and  no  pardon  durst  be  extended  to  false  witnesses 
(Deut.  chap.  xix.  v.  21). — No  man  could  act  as  judge,  if  he  had 
seen  any  crime  committed,  or  in  money  matters,  if  he  was  capable 
of  giving  testimony  for  or  against  either  party  ;  even  the  president 
of  the  Sanhedrin,  emphatically  called  the  judge  (chief  justice),  could 
not  sit  on  the  bench,  but  was  obliged  to  give  his  evidence  before  the 
inferior  judges  ;  so  that  every  case  must  necesarily  have  had  a  fair 
hearing,  and  every  man  accused  of  crime  an  impartial  trial. 

1  have  said  that  no  rational  liberty  was  enjoyed  by  any  heathen 
people,  and  thinking  that  some  proof  may  be  required  of  me  for  this 

*  Exodus,  chap,  xxiii.  v.  7,  we  read :  JJffi  pH2fX  *H  'D  Jinn  bx  pHSI  *pJl 
"And  him,  who  has  been  once  declared  innocent  and  righteous,  thou  shalt  not 
slay,  for  I  will  not  suffer  the  wicked  to  go  unpunished."  This  verse  is  under- 
stood by  us  to  refer  to  a  person,  who  has  been  tried  and  acquitted,  as  it  would 
be  unnecessary  to  forbid  the  murdering  of  the  innocent  and  righteous  in  general; 
besides  the  conclusion  of  the  verse  is  a  strong  argument  in  favour  of  the  above 
given  translation. 


80  THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH. 

bold  and  unqualified  assertion,  I  shall  take  the  liberty  of  comparing 
a  few  points  of  Solon's  laws,  which  are,  I  believe,  the  most  liberal 
of  the  ancient  systems,  with  those  of  Moses,  whose  fate  it  has  been 
to  be  so  much  cried  down  and  denounced.  Every  liberal  man  will 
agree  with  me,  that  it  is  dangerous  to  entrust  one  class  of  men  with 
particular  privileges  over  any  other  class  of  the  same  community,  or 
to  use  the  figurative  language  of  a  great  philosopher  and  statesman* 
now  dead,  "  to  provide  the  backs  of  one  class  of  the  community  with 
saddles,  that  they  may  be  ridden  by  the  more  favoured  class." — If 
Solon's  laws  had  this  tendency,  then  I  hope,  that  their  superiority 
over  our  laws  will  no  longer  be  asserted  by  any  man,  whose  boast  it 
is  to  be  the  supporter  of  universal  liberty  and  equality  of  rights. 

I  shall  not  waste  much  space  and  time  in  investigating  the  sub- 
ject at  any  great  length,  but  shall  content  myself  with  picking  up  a 
few  facts,  as  I  find  them  related  in  Gillies'  Greece  (vol.  ii.  p.  93 
and  94).  He  says,  the  Athenians  were  divided  into  four  classes  ac- 
cording to  the  property  they  possessed,  and  that  the  lowest  class, 
though  they  had  a  right  to  vote  in  the  popular  assemblies,  yet  could 
never  become  members  of  the  senate  or  Areopagus,  or  hold  any  ma- 
gistracy whatever.  Now  let  me  ask,  what  great  use  was  the  power 
of  voting  to  the  commons,  when  the  senators  had  the  extraordinary 
authority  of  deciding  what  business  should  be  laid  before  the  popular 
assemblies  ?  And  had  they  not  the  right  of  convoking  these  very 
assemblies  ?  Then  again  the  senators  had  the  power  of  passing 
laws,  which  were  in  force  for  a  whole  twelvemonth,  without  ever 
consulting  the  people  at  all  about  them ;  they  possessed  the  chief 
part  of  the  executive  power ;  their  president  had  the  custody  of  the 
archives  and  treasury ;  the  senate  alone  could  build  ships,  equip 
fleets  and  armies,  and  seize  and  confine  state  criminals ;  and  to 
crown  all,  they  could  examine  and  punish  several  offences,  which 
were  not  prohibited  by  any  positive  law  ! — I  am  not  disposed  to 
pursue  the  subject  any  further,  not  being  engaged  in  writing  a  disser- 

*  The  late  President  Jefferson  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Weightman.  Since  the 
text  was  written,  however,  the  author  of  these  pages  has  seen  a  statement,  that 
these  emphatic  words  had  been  originally  employed  by  Richard  Rumbold,  who 
was  executed  for  a  participation  in  the  Rye-house  plot,  under  James  II.  of  Eng- 
land, in  1685.  Having  quoted  the  words  under  an  impression  that  they  wore 
original  with  President  Jefferson,  this  correction  was  considered  necessary. 


THE  JEWISH  COMMONWEALTH.  81 

tat  ion  on  the  Athenian  laws ;  but  let  me  respectfully  ask  all  Ameri- 
cans, who  have  so  justly  a  great  horror  of  all  ex  post  facto  laws  and 
constructive  treason,  how  they  would  like  to  have  their  representa- 
tives in  congress  invested  with  power  to  examine  and  punish  offences 
not  prohibited  by  any  particular  law? — Away  then  with  the  cant 
of  these  men,  who  prefer  Solon's  laws  to  Moses's  code,*  solely  be- 
cause Solon  was  a  Greek  and  Moses  a  Hebrew,  and  claimed  no 
merit  for  those  excellent  laws,  made  known  through  him,  because 
he  said,  and  said  truly,  that  they  were  not  the  fruit  of  his  own  in- 
vention, but  the  expression  of  the  will  of  God  !  I  had  thought,  that 
the  world  had  grown  too  liberal  and  too  enlightened  to  act  so  fool- 
ishly from  ignorance  ;  to  what  cause  then  are  we  to  ascribe  tha£ 
silly  praising  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  legislators  and  the  rancorous 
abuse  of  the  Jewish  code  ?  Is  it  malice  1  Hatred  towards  the  Jews 
and  aversion  towards  their  laws  ?  Though  this  may  perhaps  be  an 
excuse  to  individuals  belonging  to  other  nations,  what  can  be  said  in 
exculpation  of  those  our  own  people,  who  act  the  parricide  by  ridi- 
culing Moses  and  despising  his  code  ?  It  must  be  considered  equally 
improper,  as  for  a  person  to  be  pleased  with  every  thing  abroad, 
and  to  find  fault  with  every  thing  at  home,  solely  because  it  is  at 
home.  And  it  may  be  likened  to  the  conduct  of  fretful  and  too  much 
indulged  children,  who  spurn  every  endearment  of  their  own  mother, 

*  Fault  has  been  found  with  the  Pentateuch  for  containing  so  many  penal 
statutes,  where  life  was  the  forfeit.  Tliis  objection  can  weigh  nothing  in  the 
mind  of  the  thinking.  For  when  a  law  is  known  and  well  understood  and  its 
practice  uniform,  the  criminal  cannot  blame  the  law,  but  only  himself  for  disre- 
garding it ;  and  then  the  punishment  of  death  was  only  against  crimes  of  the 
deepest  die ;  and  if  it  is  wrong  to  punish  such  crimes  with  death,  it  is  equally 
wrong  to  punish  them  with  imprisonment ;  and  are  criminals  to  run  at  large 
unchecked  by  the  arm  of  the  law  ? — Besides  this,  the  practice  of  the  Jewish 
code,  was  any  thing  but  sanguinary,  as  will  appear  from  Maccothe,  chap.  i.  §. 
10,  where  it  says  :  "  A  Sanhedrin  which  slays  once  in  seven  years  is  called  a 
destructive  one ;  Rabbi  Elazar  son  of  Azariah  said,  once  in  seventy  years ;  Rabbi 
Tarfone  and  Rabbi  Akiba  said,  if  we  had  been  in  the  Sanhedrin,  no  man  would 
ever  have  been  executed.  Thereupon,  said  Rabbi  Shimone,  son  of  Gamaliel, 
men  such  as  these  would  have  caused  the  increase  of  murderers  in  Israel."  This 
characteristic  extract  must  convince  all,  how  great  the  clemency  was,  which 
was  exercised  in  our  courts  ;  so  mucli  so,  as  to  cause  one  of  our  greatest  men  to 
say,  that  this  lenity,  if  carried  further,  would  have  emboldened  criminals  through 
the  impunity  shown  to  others,  who  had  been  on  their  trials. 
11 


82  THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 

but  are  pleased  to  excess  with  the  most  useless  and  trifling  toy  from 
the  hands  of  a  stranger. — But  is  such  conduct  becoming  men  and 
philosophers,  who  say  they  search  for  truth  1  Shame !  shame ! 
remember  that  you  have  not  all  the  wisdom  and  all  the  knowledge 
to  yourselves,  and  you  would  therefore  do  well  to  draw  some  lessons 
from  that  book,  which  confessedly  contains  the  best  code  of  laws, 
ever  devised  for  the  government  of  mankind. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE    BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 


It  has  of  late  grown  fashionable  among  some  of  the  learned  men, 
to  assign  a  high  moral  character  to  the  Greek  and  Roman  mytho- 
logy ;  and  even  the  Guebers  have  come  in  for  a  share  of  the  white- 
washing process.  It  has  always  been  believed,  that  the  latter  were 
the  worshippers  of  the  sun  and  fire  ;  but  wonderful  to  relate,  it  has 
been  discovered,  how  long  ago  I  know  not,  that  they  did  not  wor- 
ship the  fire  as  a  deity,  but  only  prayed  to  it  as  a  symbol  of  the  Cre- 
ator of  the  sun  and  fire,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Roman  Catholics 
yet  have  image-worship  amongst  them,  in  which  images  are  only 
considered  as  remembrancers  of  God's  power.  How  far  the  Guebers 
were  actually  acquainted  with  the  attributes,  which  revelation 
ascribes  to  the  Creator,  I  indeed  cannot  tell,  for  my  knowledge  of 
antiquity  (and  I  confess  it  without  the  least  hesitation)  is  very 
limited.  But  it  appears  to  me  very  strange,  that  the  opinion  should 
have  been  general  for  so  long  a  time,  that  the  Guebers  in  reality 
worshipped  the  fire,  and  this  at  times,  when  they  were  masters  of 
Persia,  if  the  contrary  were  true.  Moreover  we  are  told  by  Mr. 
Rollin  and  others,  that  the  Persians  believed  in  a  good  and  evil  god, 
and  consequently,  their  idea  of  the  Creator  could  not  have  been  that 


THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM.  83 

which  the  Jews,  or  even  the  philosophers  themselves,  call  rational. 
The  Hindoos  also  are  praised  for  the  simplicity  and  antiquity  of  their 
faith,  and  we  hear  a  great  deal  concerning  their  sacred  books. 
However,  according  to  a  late  writer,  (Mrs.  Graham's*  Letters  on  Tn- 
dia,)  they  believe  :  "  That  the  creation  of  the  gods  is  coeval  with 
that  of  the  world  ;  and  when  the  Supreme  Intelligence  called  the 
universe  into  being,  he  delegated  to  the  gods  the  creation  of  man- 
kind, and  the  formation  and  government  of  all  mundane  objects. 
Brahma,  the  creating  energy,  with  Vishnu,  the  preserver,  and  Siva, 
the  destroyer,  were  the  greatest  of  the  deities."  There  is  a  good 
deal  more  about  the  Indian  deities  in  the  letters  referred  to,  but 
what  has  been  quoted  already,  is  sufficient  for  our  purpose.  From 
the  extract  just  given,  it  appears,  that  if  it  even  be  admitted,  that 
the  Indians  believe  in  a  Supreme  Intelligence,  and  consequent  Creator 
of  all,  they  have  nevertheless  a  very  crude  notion  of  the  government 
of  this  world  by  this  Supreme  Intelligence.  We  Jews  believe,  that 
God  created  the  world,  governs  it,  and  preserves  it ;  that  there  is  no 
power  independent  of  his  will,  that  every  power,  even  that  power 
superior  to  man,  is  accountable  to  Him,  and  to  Him  alone,  praised  be 
He  for  everlasting  !  This  belief  presents  to  our  idea  an  adorable 
Being,  who,  though  superior  in  intelligence,  power,  and  happiness 
to  aught  which  exists,  yet  disdains  not  to  watch  over  the  welfare  of 
his  creatures.  The  enlightened  Indians,  on  the  other  hand,  believe 
that  the  creation  of  the  world  was  intrusted  to  mere  creatures  (for 
their  gods  are  [as  above]  creatures  of  the  Supreme  Intelligence),  of 
which  creating  creatures,  one  is  the  creator,  the  other  the  preserver, 
and  the  third  the  destroyer  ;  a  pretty  trio,  truly  !  The  creator  (see 
the  sequel  of  Mrs.  G.'s  letters)  Brahma  has  withdrawn  from  the 
government  of  what  he  made  himself;  and  the  preserver  Vishnu,  is 
hardly  capable  of  saving  things  from  the  destructive  power  of  the 
destroyer  Siva,  who,  strange  to  tell,  is  also  considered  as  the  repro- 
ducer. There  may  be,  no  doubt,  a  hidden  and  rational  meaning  to 
all  this,  which  appears  evidently  a  strange  mixture  of  truth  and  fa- 
ble ;  but  it  is  useless  to  extract  the  beauties  of  heathenism  in  this 
place,  and,  however  instructive  it  might  perhaps  be,  I  am  compelled 
to  resign  the  task  to  those,  who  so  much  admire  the  system  of  the 

*  Her  account  is  confirmed  by  others ;  I  quoted  her  book  as  the  only  accessi- 
ble one  to  me,  when  this  work  was  written. 


84  THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 

Brahmins,  and  though  delighting  in  the  obscure  allegories  of  Indian 
mythology,  reject  as  unwise  the  obvious  beauties  of  the  Mosaic  and 
prophetic  writings.  And  if  even  they  should  succeed  in  making 
matters  appear  rational,  we  Jews  would  still  continue  to  point  to  the 
book  of  our  blessed  law-giver,  and  exclaim  :  "  Look  at  this  wonderful 
work."  We  also  must  ever  continue  to  prefer  the  doctrines  and  re- 
ligion taught  therein  to  any  other  system,  since  the  Mosaic  code  is 
so  much  more  explicit,  than  the  law  of  any  other  nation,  and  as  re- 
ligion, to  be  useful,  should  be  intelligible  and  accessible  to  the 
ploughman,  who  cultivates  the  soil,  no  less  than  to  the  philosopher 
and  public  teacher,  to  whom,  alas  !  worldly  interest  is  frequently  the 
sole  monitor  to  induce  them  to  practise  outward  piety. 

That  the  Brahmins  have  also  what  they  term  sacred  writings, 
which  however  have  evidently  no  divine  origin,  proves  nothing 
against  the  authenticity  of  the  Mosaic  writings,  which  also  claim  a 
divine  origin ;  as  the  very  excellence  of  the  latter,  their  great  sim- 
plicity, the  sublime  conceptions  contained  therein  with  regard  to  the 
Deity,  prove,  beyond  a  doubt,  their  pre-eminence  over  the  former,  and 
consequently,  Moses  may  have  been  a  truly  inspired  man,  and  writing 
by  divine  direction,  if  even  no  other  man  ever  was ;  and  in  fact,  the 
very  claim  any  thing  sets  up  to  divine  origin  can  only  be  tested,  by 
its  agreeing  or  disagreeing  with  the  standard  of  the  Pentateuch. 
So  well  were  the  authors  of  the  sacred  books  of  the  Israelite  con- 
vinced of  this,  that  they  in  no  place  seek  to  hide  the  existence  of 
false,  or  pretended,  prophets.  We  are  even  told  that  there  existed  in 
one  assembly  more  than  four  hundred  deceivers  and  but  one  who 
was  a  prophet  of  the  Eternal.  Besides,  as  the  great  miracle  of  the 
promulgation  of  the  law  was  no  doubt  made  known  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  East  by  the  ships  of  Solomon,  which  traded  to  Ophir,  it 
is  highly  probable,  that  some  deceiver,  residing  there,  conceived  the 
plan  of  offering  something  to  his  countrymen  which  they  should 
obey  as  an  emanation  from  Heaven,  and  so  it  may  have  happened, 
that  truth  in  the  first  instance  was  made  the  instrument  for  the  pro- 
pagation of  falsehood.  As  I  have  said  before,  my  acquaintance  with 
matters  of  antiquity  is  not  sufficiently  extensive  to  enable  me  to  de- 
termine the  age  of  the  writings  of  the  Brahmins ;  I  however  do  not 
recollect  ever  to  have  read  or  heard,  that  it  could  ever  be  assumed, 
that  they  were  of  as  early  a  date  as  the  Pentateuch,  and  it  may 


THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM.  85 

therefore  be  actually  as  I  have  suggested.  Nevertheless,  I  offer 
my  own  hypothesis  with  extreme  caution,  and  I  hope  not  to  be 
called  presunlptuous,  for  daring  to  venture  offering  an  opinion,  which 
may  perhaps  have  never  been  suggested  before. 

The  Greeks  and  Romans,  too,  had  a  religion,  acknowledging  the 
existence  of  God,  and  claiming  an  obedience  to  the  divine  will.  But 
how  different  was  this  from  the  law  which  has  been  given  to  us.  Of 
the  Creator  they  had  but  a  confused  idea,  and  Ovid,  one  of  the  most 
learned  Romans,  said  in  one  of  his  poems  : 

"Sic  ubi  dispositam,  quisquis  fuit  ille  deorum, 
Congeriem  secuit."  Metam.  i.  32, 33. 

Meaning,  that  a  God,  whoever  he  might  be,  ordered  the  chaos,  as 
Ovid  describes.  The  poet  was  well  convinced  that  the  gods,  commonly 
worshipped  by  the  Romans,  were  unable  to  produce  the  world,  and 
order  every  thing  as  it  exists ;  hence  his  uncertainty,  and  his  "  quis- 
quis fuit  ille  deorum,"  yet  he  knew  not  what  to  call  him,  or  what 
station  to  assign  to  him  amongst  the  immense  number  of  the  deities 
acknowledged  by  his  countrymen. 

Jupiter  is  generally  called  pater  omnipotence;  and  yet  he  also 
appears  to  have  been  obliged  to  submit  to  inexorable  fate,  and  thus 
the  greatest  deity  of  the  Romans  had  a  superior  power  to  direct  him, 
whose  decrees  could  not  be  disobeyed.  For  thus  says  Virgil,  (and 
he  had  certainly  the  best  means  of  information  on  all  subjects  con- 
nected with  his  belief,)  in  the  first  book  of  the  iEneid : 

"  Trojae  qui  primus  ab  oris 

Italiam,  fato  profugus,  Lavinia  venit 
Litora."  1—3. 


Again 


Parce  raetu,  Cy therea,  manent  immota  tuorum 
Fata  Ubi."  257—8. 


All  the  supreme  power  of  Jupiter,  therefore,  seems  to  have  consisted 
in  his  knowing,  more  than  any  other  god,  what  the  fates  had  decreed. 
Homer,  in  the  begining  of  the  eighth  book  of  the  Iliad,  introduces 
Jupiter  in  the  act  of  consulting  the  fates,  to  whom  they  had  decreed 
the  victory,  and  thus  even  he  was  compelled  to  consult  a  mightier 
being  than  himself — chance  or  fate — to  enable  him  to  know  how  to 
act  correctly. — Here  are  the  words  of  Homer  as  translated  by  Mr. 
Pope : 


86  THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 

"  But  when  the  sun  the  height  of  heaven  ascends, 
The  sire  of  gods  his  golden  scales  suspends 
With  equal  hand;  in  these  explored  the  fate 
Of  Greece  and  Troy,  and  poised  the  mighty  weight. 
Pressed  with  its  load,  the  Grecian  balance  lies 
Low  sunk  on  earth,  the  Trojan  strikes  the  skies." 

Independently  of  this  mystery,  there  are  many  other  considera- 
tions to  compel  us  to  consider  the  Greek  and  Roman  religion  im- 
measurably beneath  ours ;  for  their  deities  were,  even  by  them,  not 
viewed  in  a  very  favourable  light,  and  both  Homer  and  Virgil  have 
given  us  some  specimens  of  the  life  of  the  immortals. — The  greatest 
praise  Homer  ever  bestows  upon  Juno,  is  his  calling  her  "  white- 
armed,  or  large-eyed,  (ox-eyed  rather,)  elegant  Juno,"  and  the  like ; 
and  Virgil,  in  the  first  book  of  the  iEneid,  describes  Venus  : 

"  Dixit,  et  avertens  rosea  cervice  refulsit, 
Ambrosiseque  comae  divinum  vertice  odorem 
Spiravere ;  pedes  vestis  defluxit  ad  imos ; 
Et  vera  incessu  patuit  dea."  202 — 5. 

Here  no  one  finds  the  gods  known  by  any  thing  but  their  superior 
beauty,  white  arms,  large  eyes,  broad  neck,  handsome  hair,  a  long 
robe,  and  to  sum  up  all  in  the  strongest  possible  manner,  the  very  gait 
proved  the  goddess!  Wonderful !  And  this  is  all,  for  no  superior  intelli- 
gence, no  power  beyond  that  of  mortal  men,  is  ever  displayed !  But 
how  great  is  the  difference  between  Virgil's  story  of  the  recognition  of 
Venus  by  her  son,  and  the  simple,  yet  sublime,  account  of  the  angel's 
appearance  to  Manoah  and  his  wife,  where  he  (the  angel)  went  up 
in  the  flame  just  ascending  from  the  altar,  and  did  wonders,  which 
Manoah  and  his  wife  witnessed.  (See  Judges  chap,  xiii.) 

What  kind  of  life  was  led  by  the  Grecian  gods,  according  to  the 
poets,  may  be  inferred  from  some  of  the  concluding  lines  of  the  first 
book  of  the  Iliad. — Vulcan  is  there  represented,  as  pouring  out 
nectar,  first  to  his  own  white-armed  mother,  and  next  to  the  whole 
multitude  of  the  gods  ;  but  the  lame  smith  did  not  get  much  reward 
for  his  pains,  for 

"  Vulcan  with  awkward  grace  his  office  plies, 
And  unextinguished  laughter  shakes  the  skies." 

Pope's  Transl. 

There  was,  moreover,  continual  strife  between  Juno  and  Venus ; 
Jupiter  and  his  wife  frequently  quarrelled,  and  some  hard  names 


THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM.  87 

were  given  from  one  to  the  other ;  the  father  of  the  gods  was  very 
jealously  watched  by  his  spouse,  and  he  was  hardly  allowed  to  let  a 
visiter  come  to  him,  without  exposing  himself  to  an  altercation. 

Now  see  the  difference  between  the  Bible's  and  the  Greek  wri- 
ters' account  of  the  Divinity.  For  the  God  of  Israel  is  always  re- 
presented, throughout  the  Jewish  canon,  as  a  great,  immaculate,  and 
perfect  Being ;  whereas  the  Greek  and  Roman  gods  had  all  the  vices 
of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  themselves.  Jupiter  was  confessedly 
very  viciousl)T  inclined,  and  practised  vice  whenever  he  could ;  and 
the  story  of  Venus  and  Mars  is  certainly  not  very  creditable  to  them 
or  to  the  circle  of  gods,  among  whom  such  conduct  was  not  alone 
tolerated,  but  even  approved.  Homer's  gods  are  ranged  against  one 
another  in  battle,  and  Mars,  the  brutal  god  of  war,  receives  a  wound 
from  Diomede,  and  the  god  retires  to  Olympus,  and  complains  to 
father  Jove  about  the  wickedness  of  the  Grecian  hero. 

What  must  have  been  the  state  of  religion  amongst  the  people, 
when  they  were  told  the  like  of  their  gods,  images  of  whom  were 
stuck  in  every  nook  and  corner  of  their  houses  1  Is  it  a  wonder  that 
the  Greeks  and  Romans  at  length  fell  to  the  lowest  state  of  moral 
depravity  ?  Is  it  not  in  this  manner  easily  accounted  for,  that  the 
very  temples  of  Vesta,  Minerva,  and  Diana  became  at  last  places  of 
prostitution  1 — It  may  be,  and  there  is  hardly  any  doubt  of  it,  that  ori- 
ginally there  was  some  reasonable  foundation  for  the  mythology  of 
the  ancients — it  may  be  that  all  the  tales  about  the  lives  of  the  gods 
were  only  allegorical  allusions  to  some  acts,  committed  by  men — it 
may  be  that  the  multiplicity  of  gods  among  them,  was  only  emble- 
matical of  the  universality  of  the  Almighty's  providence — it  may  be 
that  the  light  of  revelation  originally  given  to  Adam  and  Noah  was 
never  altogether  extinguished,  and  that  it  continued  to  emit  now  and 
then  a  luminous  ray,  though  ever  so  feeble — all  this,  and  more  may 
be  said,  and  said  with  truth  ;  but  that  does  not  in  the  least  controvert 
what  has  been  said  above ;  for  if  we  even  admit  that  heathenism  was 
truth  disguised,  it  must  nevertheless  be  self-evident,  that  this  dis- 
guised truth  could  have  been  known  to  the  priests  only,  perhaps  to 
the  Pontifex  maximus  alone ;  but  the  multitude,  those  upon  whom 
religion  ought  always  to  exercise  its  chief  and  best  influence,  did, 
(as  may  be  boldly  asserted)  know  nothing  of  their  gods,  save,  and 
only  that,  which  was  taught  them  in  Homer  and  other  similar  books. 


88  THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 

We  therefore  find  the  baneful  influence  of  paganism  upon  the  morals 
of  the  people  to  be  so  dreadful  and  almost  surpassing  belief;  we  find 
the  Greek  and  Romans  in  their  very  acts,  of  what  they  called  reli- 
gious exercises,  practising  the  most  odious  profligacies ;  they  were 
.  corrupt,  but  they  did  justify  this  corruption  by  the  practices  of  their 
gods.  I  could,  if  I  but  would,  transcribe  some  of  those  practices, 
but  I  will  not  stain  my  paper  with  their  recital,  and  must  therefore 
refer  the  curious  to  the  works  of  Homer  and  Virgil  themselves. 
Having  said  thus  much  I  must  beg  every  learned  unbeliever  to  point 
out  to  me  one  single  passage  in  the  whole  twenty-four  books  of  our 
canon  of  a  similar  tenor.  And  for  all  that,  these  learned  infidels  can 
ask  with  an  air  of  exultation :  "  Who  can  prefer  the  psalms  of  David 
to  Homer  ?"  O  there  are  many  that  do,  and  they  are  at  the  same 
time  ready  to  admit,  that  they  never  could  praise  Homer  half  as 
much  as  he  is  generally  praised.  For  this  very  good  reason ;  Aga- 
memnon, Menelaus,  Achilles,  and  Ajax  Telamon  are  complete  ruf- 
fians, uttering  perhaps  at  times  some  pretty  phrase,  which  they 
never  could  have  spoken,  and  Odysseus  is  one  of  those  dishonest 
politicians,  those  crafty  intriguers,  the  like  of  whom  so  much  disfi- 
gure the  pages  of  modern  history.  There  can  indeed  be  but  little  ob- 
jection to  paint  vice  and  barbarity  in  their  true  colours,  provided  they 
are  held  up  to  our  detestation  :  but  not  such  is  Homer's  aim ;  every 
epithet  intended  to  express  greatness  and  preeminence,  from  godlike 
down  to  quick-footed,  is  lavished  upon  these  heroes,  and  thus  he 
seems  at  least  to  approve  of  the  conduct  of  the  barbarians,  whose 
deeds  he  recounts.  And  then,  there  is  hardly  a  good  character  in 
all  Homer,  if  you  except  the  noble  Hector  and  the  wise  Nestor. — 
The  Greeks  had  further  as  many  gods  and  demigods  as  they  had 
ancient  kings,  modern  heroes,  and — trees  in  their  forests  !  What 
kind  of  religion  is  that,  where  the  augurs  looked  at  the  flight  of 
birds,  and  the  haruspices  inspected  carefully  the  entrails  of  the 
slaughtered  ox,  before  an  army  could  march,  or  before  a  battle 
could  be  fought? — How  much  more  elevated  is  the  idea,  that 
through  prophecy  alone,  made  known  to  the  high-priest  fr,  holy 
inspiration,  the  Israelites  marched  out  to  attack  their  invaders* 

*  The  reader  will  please  to  refer  to  Essay  III.  for  a  further  account  of  the 
practices  of  war  amongst  the  Israelites,  where  he  will  find  some  arguments  to 
prove  that  war  was  not  an  occupation  of  theirs. 


THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM.  89 

After  our  ancestors  had  come  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  the  priest, 
who  always  accompanied  the  army,  but  never  fought,  was  to  speak 
as  follows  (Deut.  chap,  xx.)  :  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  you  approach  this 
day  to  battle  against  your  enemies  ;  let  not  your  hearts  faint,  fear 
not,  tremble  not,  and  be  not  cast  down,  because  of  them  ;  for  it  is 
the  Eternal,  your  God,  who  goeth  with  you,  to  fight  with  you 
against  your  enemy,  to  save  you"  (from  danger) !  When  the  priest 
had  finished  his  address,  the  officers  made  the  following  proclama- 
tion :  "  Whoever  there  is  among  you  who  has  espoused  a  woman, 
built  a  house,  or  planted  a  vineyard,  or  who  is  fearful  and  faint- 
hearted, let  him  return  home."  In  this  manner  every  one,  who  by 
some  worldly  cause  was  particularly  attached  to  life,  every  one,  who 
was  naturally  a  coward,  every  one,  who,  from  the  compunctions  of 
a  sinful  conscience,  felt  himself  unable  to  enter  into  the  front  ranks 
of  the  fight,  fearing  that  he  should  die  in  battle  in  punishment  of  his 
sins — all  these,  I  say,  were  admonished  to  go  and  return  home,  for 
not  the  multitude  gain  the  victory,  but  those  who,  though  few  in 
number,  are  men,  whose  "  knees  have  never  knelt  to  Baal,  and 
whose  mouth  has  never  kissed  him."  (See  the  account  of  Gideon's 
battle,  Judg.  chap,  vii.)  Our  religion  was  thus  intended  to  prove 
to  us  that  to  be  victorious  we  must  first  deserve  to  be  so  ;  and  to 
conquer  the  heathens,  we  should  by  superior  virtue  and  greater 
reliance  upon  God  deserve  his  assistance. 

In  fine,  whatever  hidden,  and  to  Jews  unknown,  beauties  the  Greek 
and  Roman  rites  may  have  had,  our  religion  would  stigmatise  as 
superstition,  and  as  such  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  Roman  augurs, 
Tuscan  soothsayers,  and  Greek  oracles  were  prohibited  to  us.  (See 
the  18th  chap,  of  Deut.) — I  hope  to  have,  in  the  few  foregoing 
words,  said  enough  to  demonstrate,  that  without  even  calling  in  the 
aid  of  revelation,  our  religion  is,  upon  grounds  of  human  reason 
also,  more  sublime,  more  sacred,  than  the  creeds  of  all  nations  of 
antiquity  taken  together. 

I  have  heard  it  said  that  it  is  highly  probable  that  Moses  borrow- 
ed his  doctrines  and  laws  from  the  Egyptians,  with  whose  customs 
he  was  intimately  acquainted.  But  this  assertion,  though  generally 
and  very  confidently  brought  forward,  can  be  refuted  by  a  single 
passage  from  Leviticus,  a  book,  allowed  even  by  the  most  malig- 
nant critics,  to  be  of  undoubted  antiquity.  We  read  (Lev.  chap. 
12 


90  .  THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 

xviii.) :  "  And  the  Eternal  spoke  unto  Moses  as  follows :  Speak 
unto  the  children  of  Israel  and  say  unto  them,  1  am  the  Eternal 
your  God.  You  shall  not  do  such  things  as  are  done  in  the  land  of 
Egypt,  in  which  you  have  resided ;  nor  shall  you  act  after  the  man- 
ners of  the  land  of  Canaan,  whither  1  am  bringing  you,  nor  shall 
you  walk  in  their  ordinances." 

Here  Moses  speaks  as  explicitly  as  possible,  prohibiting  the  imita- 
tion of  Egyptian  customs ;  how  can  any  man,  who  wishes  not  to  be 
considered  a  maniac,  then  say,  that  Moses  at  the  same  time  copied 
Egyptian  customs  and  forbade  their  execution  ?  The  idea  is  too 
absurd,  and  must,  therefore,  be  rejected  by  every  fair-reasoning 
man  ;  and  where  is  the  man  who,  after  this,  can  deny  that  Moses's 
law  is  altogether  original,  and  altogether  unconnected  with  any 
code  either  known  before  or  after  him? 

I  have  said  that  the  Psalms  of  David  are  preferable  to  Homer ;  and, 
to  exhibit  the  justice  of  the  preference,  I  shall  transcribe  the  follow- 
ing two  passages,  the  first  from  the  eighth,  and  the  other  from  the 
eighteenth  psalm  : 

"  O  Eternal  God,  our  Lord,  how  powerful  is  thy  name  in  all  the 
earth  !  who  placest  thy  glory  above  the  heavens.  Out  of  the 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  Thou  hast  established  thy  reign,  to 
confound  thine  opponents,  to  quiet  the  enemy,  and  him  who  seeketh 
vengeance.  When  I  look  at  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  hands, 
the  moon  and  the  stars  which  Thou  hast  founded  ; — what  is  man, 
that  Thou  rememberest  him  ?  and  the  son  of  Adam,  that  Thou 
regardest  him  ?  And  Thou  hast  made  him  a  little  less  (gifted)  than 
angels,  and  hast  crowned  him  with  glory  and  honour.  Thou  hast 
given  him  dominion  over  the  works  of  thy  hands,  and  hast  placed 
all  things  under  his  feet ;  sheep  and  oxen — all,  and  also  the  beasts  of 
the  field,  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea, — and  he 
passes  through  the  ways  of  the  ocean  !  O  Eternal  God,  our  Lord, 
how  great  is  thy  name  in  all  the  earth  !"     Psalm  viii. 

"  In  my  distress  I  called  upon  the  Eternal,  and  prayed  to  my  God, 
and  He  heard  my  voice  out  of  his  temple,  and  my  cry  came  before 
Him — to  his  ears. 

"  And  the  earth  shook  and  trembled,  and  the  foundations  of  the 
mountains  were  loosened,  and  they  quaked,  for  He  was  angry. 
Smoke  rose  out  of  his  nostrils,  fire  blazed  out  of  his  mouth,  coals 


THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM.  91 

were  kindled  from  it.  And  He  bent  the  heavens,  and  went 
down,  and  a  cloud  of  darkness  was  under  his  feet.  And  He 
rode  upon  a  Cherub,  and  flew  along,  and  rushed  by  upon  the 
wings  of  the  wind.  And  He  shrouded  himself  in  darkness,  around 
his  pavilion ;  dark  waters,  clouds  piled  upon  clouds !  From  the 
light  before  Him  passed  through  his  clouds  hail  and  coals  of  fire. 
And  the  Eternal  thundered  in  heaven,  and  the  Most  High  let  his 
voice  resound  ; — hail  and  coals  of  fire.  He  sent  forth  his  arrows, 
and  scattered  them  ; — and  mighty  lightning,  and  confounded  them  ; 
and  the  channels  of  the  waters  were  seen,  and  the  foundations  of 
the  universe  laid  bare,  from  thy  call,  O  Eternal,  from  the  breath- 
ing of  the  breath  of  thy  anger !"     Psalm  xviii.  v.  6,  &c. 

The  extract  from  the  eighteenth  psalm  is  particularly  strikingly 
grand.  He  (David)  describes  the  power  of  the  incomprehensible 
God,  whose  word  is  sufficient  to  prostrate  all  before  Him  in  ruins  ; 
He  is  shrouded  in  darkness,  but  light,  or  rather  intense  brightness, 
(rtJj)  is  immediately  around  Him  :  there  all  is  light,  all  is  glory, 
all  is  gladness  ;  only  to  man,  whilst  he  is  yet  mortal,  is  the  Deity 
clothed  in  the  thick  cloud,  that  rests  at  his  feet.  But  the  flashes  of 
the  lightning,  the  rolling  of  the  thunder,  the  rattling  of  the  hail,  the 
scalding  streams  of  lava,  the  burning  coals  from  the  volcanos — all 
proclaim  to  us  his  might  and  his  power.  He  but  speaks  and  the 
earth  trembles  ;  He  but  breathes  and  mountains  are  split  in  twain. 
But  does  it  cost  Him  any  effort,  any  great  exertion  1  O  no,  all  this 
happens  -]£)«  nn  nntjnn  "  from  the  breathing  of  the  breath  of  thy 
anger ;"  by  which  the  Psalmist  means  :  the  ease  with  which  a  man 
breathes  is  well  known,  and  thus  easy  is  it  for  our  God  to  do  this 
mighty  work.  Here  then  we  have  a  picture  of  the  power  of  the 
Almighty,  we  see  his  great  omnipotence  displayed  in  glowing 
colours ;  and  we  are  told  that  all  his  desire  is  that  we  should  be 
good,  obedient  to  his  will,  submissive  to  his  dispensation,  that  we 
ourselves  should  be  made  happy,  that  we  may  be  worthy  to  enjoy 
"  delights  at  his  right  hand  for  ever :"  and  can  a  stronger  reason  be 
addressed  to  the  human  mind  1  can  any  thing  more  strongly  impel 
him  to  obey  the  will  of  his  God,  made  known  to  him  for  his  own 
happiness  alone  ? 

Has  Homer  any  passage  to  equal  the  foregoing  in  sublimity  ? — 
Virgil,  indeed,  attempts  a  description  of  Jupiter's  power,  and  says: 


92  THE  BIBLE  AND  PAGANISM. 

"  ille  flagranti 

Aut  Atho,  aut  Rhodopcn,  aut  alta  Ceraunia  telo 

Dejicit."  Geor.  i.  331—3. 

Virgil  must  needs  employ  a  telum,  for  neither  he  nor  any  other 
heathen  had  any  conception  of  God's  power  being  manifested  by 
his  word  alone.  God,  according  to  our  ideas,  however,  has  no 
need  of  any  materials  in  his  government  of  all  the  world,  for  He, 
(as  our  prayer  so  elegantly  says)  :  "  Reviveth  the  dead  with  his 
word  !" — And,  though  the  translation  given  above  is  not  at  all  to  be 
compared  in  brevity  and  closeness  of  diction  with  the  Hebrew,  it  is 
yet  sufficient  to  prove  that  a  person  may  be  a  very  good  man,  and 
yet  dare  to  prefer  David's  Psalms  to  Homers  Iliad,  or  even  to 
Homer's  Odyssee. 

I  shall  now  close  this  chapter  with  a  translation  of  a  portion  of  our 
daily  prayers,  and  beg  those  of  my  readers,  who  are  Greek  scholars, 
or  who  possess  a  translation  of  the  first  book  of  the  Iliad,  to  compare 
it  themselves  with  the  prayer  of  Chryses  addressed  to  his  Sminthean 
Apollo. 

"  Thou  art  mighty  for  ever,  O  Lord,  Thou  revivest  the  dead,  art 
powerful  in  helping  us,  and  causing  the  wind  to  blow  and  the  rain  to 
descend. — Thou  maintainest  the  living  with  kindness,  and  revivest 
the  dead  with  great  mercy,  supportest  the  falling,  healest  the  sick, 
loosenest  the  bonds  of  the  captives,  and  preservest  thy  truth  to  those 
who  sleep  in  the  dust.  Who  is  like  Thee,  Lord  of  strength,  and 
who  can  be  compared  unto  Thee,  O  King,  who  slayest  and  bringest 
to  life  again,  and  lettest  salvation  spring  forth !" 

Here  the  unbelievers  have  something  nervous,  concise,  and  ener- 
getic, where  the  wonderful  deeds  and  the  great  kindness  of  our 
Maker  are  enumerated  in  a  few  forcible  words,  without  any  ornament 
whatever.  And  since  they  so  much  admire  every  thing  that  is  not 
Jewish,  they  ought  to  ransack  their  classics  to  produce  parallel  or 
even  superior  beauties  to  the  foregoing. — But  they  cannot ! — Well 
then,  let  them  admit,  that  not  alone  is  Moses's  Jaw  superior  to  any 
ancient  or  modern  constitution,  but  also  that  our  style  of  writing, 
both  in  the- Bible  and  our  regular  prayers,  is  as  far  above  what  has 
been  written  by  profane  poets  and  prosaics*  as  light  is  preferable  to 
darkness ! 


93 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  PHYLACTERIES. 


If  by  superstition  is  understood  a  belief  or  confidence  in  things, 
having  no  existence  in  reality,  or  existing  only  through  fraud  or  ig- 
norance :  then  it  can  be  boldly  asserted,  that  we  Jews  are  not 
superstitious ;  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  we  abhor  superstition  as 
being  contrary,  and  in  opposition,  to  our  religion. — If  by  bigotry  are 
meant  an  inveterate  adherence  to  error,  and  a  persecution  or  a  ten- 
dency to  persecution  of  others  who  have  firmness  enough  to  resist 
such  errors,  or  to  oppose  the  enforcing  of  it,  when  presented  to  them 
for  acceptance  :  then  can  we  again  assert,  that  we  are  no  bigots ;  for 
our  religion  is  not  founded  on  error,  as  has  been  proved,  and  besides 
this  we  wish  to  burden  no  one  with  our  opinions,  who  admits  them 
not  of  his  own  accord. — But  if  by  superstition  are  understood,  a  vene- 
ration of  God,  belief  in  revelation  and  hope  of  future  reward  for 
virtue — and  by  bigotry,  an  adherence  to  opinions  so  well  founded, 
and  a  determination  to  resist  all  innovation,  no  matter  by  whom  re- 
commended :  then  hail,  superstition  !  welcome,  bigotry  !  If  philoso- 
phers have  determined  to  stamp  such  virtuous  resolutions  with  the 
odious  names  of  bigotry  and  superstition,  we  must  needs  be  prepared 
to  bear  these  opprobrious  titles  with  content  and  resignation ;  and  I 
venture  to  assert  in  the  name  of  our  whole  nation,  that  not  twenty 
good  Jews  could  be  induced  to  relinquish  their  opinions,  merely  be- 
cause these  opinions  have  received  harsh  names  from  unbelievers. 
And  if  1  could  be  convinced,  that  Jews  could  be  base  and  cowardly 
enough,  to  be  swayed  by  mere  abuse  without  argument,  I  should  be 
sorry  to  be  considered  a  member  of  their  community.  But,  thank 
Heaven,  I  know  my  brethren  better ;  and  though  they  may  deviate, 
though  they  may  live  for  a  time  forgetful  of  their  duty  ;  yet  will  they 
always  cherish  with  fondness  the  idea  of  their  having  been  born 
members  of  the  nation  despised  and  trodden  under  foot ;  and  exam- 
ples are  not  rare,  where  even  apostates  called  in  the  brethren  to  their 
dying  bed,  after  refusing  the  attendance  of  any  other  ! 


94  THE  PHYLACTERIES. 

But  some  one  may  ask,  "  have  not  the  Jews  superstitious  customs, 
for  example,  the  cloak  they  wear  during  prayers,  the  phylacteries, 
holydays,  the  blowing  of  the  cornet,  and  the  palm  branch  ?"  This 
question  may  at  first  sight  appear  to  throw  very  great  difficulties  in 
the  way  of  a  defence  of  our  religion ;  but  a  candid  enquiry  must 
soon  convince  us,  that  the  above  ceremonies  are  by  no  means  super- 
stitious, although  their  true  intent  may  not  be  altogether  obvious  to 
a  prejudiced  and  superficial  enquirer. 

Let  us  commence  with  the  Tallith,  or  cloak,  used  during  prayers. 
We  find  in  Numb.  chap.  xv.  v.  37,  the  following  commandment : 
"  And  the  Lord  spoke  unto  Moses  as  follows  :  speak  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  and  bid  them  to  make  themselves  fringes  (rvvx)  at 
the  corners  of  their  garments  throughout  their  generations,  and  that 
they  put  upon  the  fringe  of  the  corners,  (  borders  Eng.  vers.)  a  string 
of  blue,  n"7Dn." — In  Deute.  chap.  xxii.  v.  12:  "Thou  shalt  make 
thee  fringes  upon  the  four  corners  of  thy  vesture,  wherewith  thou 
coverest  thyself."  The  reason  for  this  commandment  is  given  in 
Numb.  chap,  xv  :  "  That  by  seeing  these  fringes,  we  might  remem- 
ber all  the  commandments  of  the  Eternal  and  observe  them,  and  not 
follow  blindly  the  evil  desires  engendered  within  us,  by  the  behold- 
ing of  the  eyes  and  the  desiring  of  the  heart."  Our  Rabbins  give 
the  following  explanation  :  n#  is  400,  i*  is  90,  and  '  is  10,  and  in 
consequence  the  numerical  value  of  the  word  rP2P3f,  is  600 ;  there 
are  also  on  each  of  these  fringes  eight  strings  and  Jive  double  knots, 
thus  the  number  of  the  word  itself,  together  with  that  of  the  strings 
and  knots,  amounts  to  six  hundred  and  thirteen,  this  being  the  whole 
numberf  of  the  commandments  in  the  Mosaic  Law.  If  even  we 
reject  this  explanation  as  too  fanciful,  there  is  yet  no  reason  to  laugh 
at  the  fringes,  since,  as  we  are  always  covered  with  clothes,  they 
seem  to  be  well  adapted  (it  being  once  so  understood)  to  act  as  moni- 
tors to  us,  when  we  are  going  to  do  any  thing  unlawful ;  and  it  is 
the  object  of  the  precept,  that  the  sight  of  the  jvr 2f  shall  withhold 
us,  by  addressing  our  senses,  from  offending  against  our  religion, 


*  Every  Hebrew  letter  has  a  numerical  value,  for  instance  N  is  1 , 3  2,  jl  3, 
&c. 

t  See  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Religion,  page  109,  note. 


THE  PHYLACTERIES.  95 

and  they  are  to  tell  us,  when  every  other  voice*  is  silent :  "  Beware ! 
remember  the  commandments  of  thy  God  !"  And  is  this  symbol, 
though  simple,  not  far  superior  to  and  much  more  rational  than  the 
idols,  statues,  and  marks  of  other  nations? 

In  former  times  the  Israelites  wore  the  fringes  upon  the  corners 
of  their  cloaks  ;  but  since  our  dispersion,  and  because  it  has  become 
dangerous  for  us  in  many  places  to  be  known  as  Jews,  we  wear 
under  our  clothes  a  four  cornered  garment,  to  which  the  fringes 
are  attached  ;  and  in  the  synagogues  or  other  places  of  worship  we 
make  use  of  a  square,  or  rather,  oblong  cloak,  to  which  they  are 
fixed,  and  this  garment  or  rvbo  (Tallith)  is  worn  during  public  wor- 
ship by  day,  but  not  at  night,  except  at  certain  occasions,  which  it 
would  be  needless  t'o  detail  here. — When  the  purple  colour  (nS^n) 
was  yet  known,  we  were  obliged  (see  above)  to  have  one  of  the 
strings  of  each  fringe  of  this  colour,  but  since  this  colour  is  no  more 
known,  we  are  unable  to  comply  with  this  provision  of  the  law  to 
its  full  extent ;  and  the  fringes  we  make  use  of  are,  therefore,  com- 
posed of  eight  white  strings  only. 

The  phylacteries  pbflfl  (Thephillin)  are  improperly  supposed  to 
be  considered  by  us  in  the  light  of  amulets,  as  has  been  lately 
asserted  by  an  English  writer,  who  also  quite  liberally  (as  liberally 
as  most  writers  concerning  us,  who  are  either  deists  or  Christians) 
supposes,  that  they  were  for  a  similar  purpose  as  the  Greek,  Ro- 
man, or  Arab  amulets.  The  learned  writer  was,  no  doubt,  misled 
by  the  term  phylacteries,  derived  from  the  Greek  verb  phylasso,  I 
watch  or  guard  ;  but  the  ybzn  are  not  phylacteries,  a  name  which 
properly  belongs  to  the  n^Dp,  a  cabalistical  instrument.  But  since 
there  is  no  word  in  the  English,  Latin,  or  Greek,  synonymous  with 
the  Hebrew  word  Thephillin,  I  shall  drop  the  term  phylacteries 
altogether,  and  in  the  sequel  make  use  only  of  the  proper  word. — 
There  are  two  kinds  of  Thephillin,  and  both  consist  of  extracts 
from  the  Law,  written  upon  parchment.     They  are  commanded  to 

*  And  thus  leach  the  Rabbins :  Whoever  has  tViPTS  on  his  garments,  f  ,l?3fi 
on  his  head,  and  a  riTUD  on  his  door,  will  not  easily  be  misled  to  sin.  For  to  be 
engaged  in  acts  of  religion,  and  having  things  pertaining  to  religion  constantly 
near  us,  will  act  as  a  check,  whenever  the  mind  should  desire  to  enter  the  way 
of  sin,  and  be  as  it  were  a  silent  rebuker  in  all  matters  of  dereliction  from  our 
duties. 


96  THE  PHYLACTERIES. 

be  made*  in  Exodus  xiii.  and  Deuteronomy  vi.  and  xi.  (which  see). 
The  two  kinds  of  Thephillin  are  :  the  Thephillin  shel  Roshe  and 
Thephillin  shel  Yahd,  or  in  English,  Thephillin  for  the  head,  and 
Thephillin  for  the  hand  ;  they  (as  well  as  the  Tallith)  are  used  dur- 
ing the  morning  prayers,  but  not  on  the  Sabbaths  and  festivals, 
though  the  Tallith  is  worn  on  these  days  also. — The  Thephillin 
themselves  are  four  paragraphs  from  the  Pentateuch,  namely,  Exod. 
xiii.  v.  1—10 ;  2d,  Ibid.  11—16  ;  3d,  Deut.  vi.  v.  4—9  ;  4th,  Ibid. 
xi.  13 — 21.  In  the  Thephillin  shel  Yahd  these  paragraphs  are 
written  upon  one  piece  of  parchment,  and  fixed  in  a  small  case 
made  of  the  same  material ;  on  one  side  of  which  is  an  opening, 
through  which  a  leathern  thong  of  about  two  yards  long  is  passed ; 
on  one  end  of  which  are  a  knot  and  loop  of  a  peculiar  form,  through 
which  loop  the  other  end  of  the  thong  is  drawn,  and  the  whole 
Thephillin  can  thus  be  fixed  upon  the  arm. 

The  Thephillin  shel  Roshe  have  the  same  paragraphs,  but  writ- 
ten upon jfowr  different  pieces  of  parchment,  and  are  fixed  in  the 
order  above  mentioned,  in  a  parchment  case  with  four  divisions.  A 
thong  is  fixed  to  the  Thephillin  shel  Roshe  in  the  like  manner  as  to 
those  shel  Yahd  ;  yet  so  that  they  may  be  worn  round  the  head. 
On  one  side  of  the  case  is  stamped  a  Sheen  with  three  heads  :  on  the 
other  a  Sheen  with  four  heads. — The  knot  on  the  shel  Yahd  forms 
a  1  (Yod)  the  one  on  the  shel  Roshe  a  i  (Dahleth)  and,  as  said,  the 
case  of  the  latter  is  stamped  with  a  w  (Sheen),  these  three  letters 
combined  read  nw,  an  attribute  of  God  synonymous  with  the  English 
Almighty. 

The  last  kind  of  the  commonly  so  called  phylacteries  is  the  nms 
(Mezoozah)  and  consists  of  the  two  paragraphs  from  the  sixth  and 
eleventh  chapters  of  Deuteronomy  mentioned  above,  written  upon 
one  piece  of  parchment,  which  is  rolled  up  from  the  right  to  the  left. 
The  word  h#  together  with  three  other  words,  (which,  however, 
stand  higher  up,  by  themselves,)  is  written  upon  the  outside ;  it  is  then 

*  See  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Religion,  pp.  115  and  116,  where  the 
other  regulation  concerning  the  Thephillin  can  be  found. — I  have  been  thus 
particular  with  the  explanation  of  Tzitzith,  &c.  that  anyone  may  see  their 
whole  intent,  meaning,  nature,  and  object,  and  thus  judge  for  himself  whether 
there  is  any  superstition  connected  therewith,  or  whether  they  are  more  cor- 
rectly to  be  regarded  as  proper  religious  observances. 


THE  PHYLACTERIES.  97 

put  in  a  reed,  a  tin,  or  other  case,  and  fixed  on  the  door  post  in 
every  proper  room,  so  that  the  name  Hty  (being  visible  through  an 
aperture  left  in  the  case)  may  be  seen  by  every  one  entering  the 
apartment,  and  be  thus  ever  reminded  of  the  greatness  and  power 
of  the  Almighty. 

"  But  what  can  be  the  meaning  of  all  this  V  This  will  easily 
be  plain  to  us  if  we  but  read  the  passages  cited  above ;  we  will  there 
see  that  the  Thephillin  were  ordered  for  a  twofold  reason :  first, 
as  a  monument  of  our  redemption  from  Egypt ;  and  next,  that  the 
laws  of  our  God  may  be  continually  before  us.  For  we  read  in 
Exod.  chap.  xiii.  v.  16  :  "  And  it  shall  be  for  a  token  upon  thy 
hand,  and  a  mark  of  remembrance  (frontlets,  Eng.  vers.)  between 
thine  eyes,  for  by  the  strength  of  (his)  hand  has  the  Lord  brought 
us  out  of  Egypt." — And  in  Deut.  chap.  vi.  v.  8,  after  having  said,  in 
the  preceding  verses,  that  the  law  of  God  should  be  always  in  our 
mouth,  that  we  should  converse  about  it  in  whatever  place  or  situa- 
tion we  might  be,  Moses  continues  :  "  And  thou  shalt  bind  them  as 
a  sign  upon  thy  hand,  and  they  shall  be  as  frontlets  between  thine 
eyes."  The  Mezoozah,  also,  is  very  plainly  commanded  in  the 
ninth  verse  of  the  sixth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  The  object  of 
God  in  giving  these  ordinances  was  probably  this  :  "  I  have  forbid- 
den you  to  raise  yourselves  monuments  of  sculptured  stone  or  molten 
metal ;  but  I  will  give  you  a  nobler  monument — my  law  shall  be 
this  monument ;  passages  commemorative  of  your  redemption  shall 
be  your  daily  garment ;  so  that  the  recollection  of  the  events  con- 
nected with  this  redemption  and  the  promulgation  of  the  law  shall 
never  cease  ;  they  shall  also  be  a  sign  of  my  perpetual  power,  of  my 
constant  providence,  and  of  my  unceasing  watchfulness  over  you ; 
fix,  therefore,  these  chapters  upon  your  doors  and  gates,  that  you 
may  be  always  mindful,  whenever  you  lay  Thephillin  and  see  the 
Mezoozah,  that  I,  the  all-powerful,  who  formerly  released  you  from 
slavery,  am  yet  able  and  willing  to  watch  over  you,  protect  you, 
and  again  redeem  you — by  whatever  trouble  you  may  be  afflicted — 
when  the  time  shall  have  arrived  which  I  have  appointed  as  the 
termination  of  the  punishment  you  may  have  to  endure  for  your 
transgressions  against  my  will — and  that  I  may  again  show  you 
wonders,  as  I  did  in  those  days  when  you  went  out  of  Egypt." 


13 


98 


CHAPTER  XV11. 


THE    FESTIVALS. 


"  Were  the  Hebrew  festivals  like  those  of  the  heathens,  times  of 
general  licentiousness,  and  for  this  reason  superstitious  and  inju- 
rious ;  or  were  they  dedicated  to  the  honour  of  God  and  the 
improvement  of  the  people,  by  inciting  them  to  virtue,  and  in  con- 
sequence, reasonable,  useful,  and  even  necessary  ?" 

To  answer  this  enquiry,  we  have  but  to  consult  the  institutions  of 
Moses  themselves,  to  pronounce  in  favour  of  the  usefulness  of  our 
festivals. — The  first  in  order  that  presents  itself,  is  the  Passover- 
feast  (nDD  Paysach),  or  the  annual  celebration  of  the  redemption 
from  Egypt ;  it  commences  on  the  evening  after  the  fourteenth,  which, 
according  to  our  mode  of  reckoning  time,  is  the  commencement  of 
the  fifteenth  day  of  Nissan  or  Abib,  the  fifteenth  day  of  this  month 
being  always  the  first  full-moon-day  after  the  spring  equinox  ;  and 
all  the  subsequent  holydays  are  (at  present)  regulated  by  the  Pass- 
over— I  have  said  that  this  feast  is  the  annual  celebration  of  the 
Exodus ;  we  have  thus  again,  in  our  institutions,  a  confirmation  of 
the  truth  of  the  Mosaic  history.  For  this  reason.  The  Passover 
was  instituted  to  celebrate  a  certain  event,  and  the  reason  stated  to 
those  very  persons,  who  ought  to  have  known  if  the  reason  assigned 
by  Moses  was  founded  upon  truth  or  not,  i.  e.  they  ought  certainly 
to  have  known  (for  this  is  the  reason  given,)  if  they  themselves  had 
been  slaves  in  Egypt  or  not.  Suppose  a  man  were  to  arrive  in  this 
or  some  other  city,  and  tell  the  inhabitants  thereof:  "  You  must 
celebrate  annually  the  victory  which  you  gained  over  the  enemy, 
who  besieged  your  city  for  so  many  weeks,"  when,  in  point  of  fact, 
no  such  enemy  had  been  seen,  nor  such  a  siege  had  taken  place. 
What  docs  every  one  think  would  be  the  fate  of  such  an  imposture  ? 
Either  the  impostor  would  be  laughed  at,  as  a  madman,  or,  if  he 
should  be  attended  to,  it  would  argue  the  greatest  ignorance  and  the 
most  unaccountable  credulity  in  those  who  chose  to  obey  such  an 


THE  FESTIVALS.  99 

impudent  impostor. — But  the  Jews  did  keep  the  Passover  in  comme- 
moration of  their  redemption ;  is  there  not  now  every  reason  to 
believe  that  that  event  actually  did  take  place  ? 

But  to  return  to  the  subject  under  discussion : — The  feast  was 
annually  ushered  in  by  sacrificing,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  Nissan, 
the  passover-lamb,  in  the  same  manner  (with  some  slight  excep- 
tions) the  first  one  had  been  prepared  in  Egypt. — The  feast  itself 
was  celebrated  seven*  days,  commencing  with  the  fifteenth  day. 

*  After  the  return  of  the  Israelites  from  Babylon,  a  great  number  of  the 
brethren  yet  remained  behind,  and  they  regulated  their  months  and  festivals  by 
the  messages  they  received  from  the  great  Sanhedrin  at  Jerusalem,  where  the 
commencement  of  every  month  was  ushered  in  by  the  chief  judge's  saying  : 
BHnn  BHpD  " tne  month  is  sanctified,"  (meaning  this  day  is  the  first  of  the 
month,)  after  competent  witnesses  had  been  examined  relative  to  their  having 
seen  the  new  moon.  (See  Mishna  of  Roshe  Hashanah.)  At  first  telegraphs  were 
used  by  the  Sanhedrin,  to  make  the  result  known  to  all  the  captivity — as  those 
living  out  of  Palestine  were  called ; — but  when,  on  a  certain  occasion,  the 
Samaritans  counterfeited  the  signals,  and  deceived  those  at  a  distance,  the  San- 
hedrin came  to  a  resolution  not  to  employ  the  signals  any  longer;  and  from 
this  time  forward  they  sent  out  messengers,  who  travelled  with  the  utmost  pos- 
sible expedition.  Those  living  at  a  great  distance  from  Jerusalem,  could  not 
always  be  certified  of  the  first  day  of  the  month  before  the  holydays  set  in  ; 
and  they  celebrated,  therefore,  for  each  day  of  holy  convocation  two  days, 
instead  of  one  day,  as  originally  commanded  in  the  Pentateuch.  For  instance, 
they  reckoned  the  month  of  Adar  at  twenty-nine  days,  (as  it  is  commonly,  we 
may  say  always,)  and  taking  the  thirtieth  day  as  the  first  of  Nissan,  they 
commenced  Pay  sack  on  the  fifteenth  day  from  that  date.  But  as  they  did 
not  exactly  know  if  the  Sanhedrin  had  commenced  Nissan  with  the  thirtieth 
or  the  thirly-Jirst  of  Adar,  they  continued  to  withhold  from  work  also  on  the 
sixteenth  day  after  the  twenty-ninth  of  Adar,  so  that  they  kept,  at  all  events, 
the  first  day  of  Paysach  on  the  proper  day,  which  would  not  have  been  the 
case  if  they  had  only  kept  the  fifteenth  day  after  the  29th,  when  the  first  of  the 
month  had  not  been  until  the  31st  of  Adar.  Thus  it  originated,  that  they 
celebrated  eight  instead  of  seven  days  of  Passover,  two  instead  of  one  of  the 
Pentecost  and  New  Year,  and  the  Tabernacles  nine  instead  of  eight  days.  The 
Day  of  Atonement  alone,  on  account  of  the  inability  of  most  persons  to  fast  two 
entire  days,  was  celebrated  on  the  thirty-ninth  day  after  the  first  of  Elul ;  for 
this  month  was  never  known  to  have  had  more  than  twenty-nine  days,  but,  as  has 
been  said  already,  they  were  obliged  to  wait  for  the  messengers  of  the  Sanhe- 
drin to  be  assured  of  this  fact.  After  the  calendar  was  fixed,  and  so  organised 
on  scientific  grounds,  that  those  in  Syria  <i\u\  the  adjacent  countries  were  no 


100  THE  FESTIVALS. 

The  first  day  was  a  day  of  holy  convocation,  that  is  to  say,  no  work 
was  done  except  the  preparing  of  food ;  the  law  was  read  publicly, 
additional  sacrifices  were  offered,  and  the  whole  male  population  of 
the  Israelites  was  assembled  to  worship  at  the  temple  in  Jerusalem. 
The  seventh  was  also  a  day  of  rest ;  and  during  the  whole  feast  of 
the  Passover  unleavened  bread  was  eaten,  to  remind  the  Israelites 
that  their  ancestors  had  been  hurried  out  of  Egypt  in  so  great  a 
haste,  that  they  could  not  prepare  their  bread  even  in  the  customary 
manner. — >On  the  second  day  of  the  Passover,  being  the  sixteenth 
of  Nissan,  an  omer-full  of  new  barley  was  offered  in  the  temple, 
with  appropriate  sacrifices  and  ceremonies ;  and  from  this  day  it 
was  lawful  to  eat  of  the  new  fruit,  and  this  day  was  considered  the 
commencement  of  the  harvest. 

The  time  of  rejoicing  had  now  arrived,  and  hill  and  valley  were 
covered  with  the  ripening  treasures  of  the  husbandmen.  This  was 
the  time  of  general  activity  throughout  Palestine,  and  whilst  the 
highminded  daughters  of  Israel  were  superintending  the  household, 
the  male  population  applied  themselves  to  the  labours  of  the  field. 
The  reaper's  song  was  heard  throughout  our  land,  when  they  bound 
in  sheaves  the  rich  blessing  of  God  which  fell  in  rows  before  their 
sickles.  The  poor,  the  widow,  the  orphan,  and  the  houseless  stran- 
ger, were  permitted  to  gather  all  that  had  fallen  down  accidentally, 
been  forgotten,  or  left  purposely  for  them.     No  one  dared  to  dis- 

Ionger  obliged  to  wait  for  messengers  from  the  Sanhedrin  to  fix  the  first  day  of 
the  month  on  the  proper  day  :  the  Israelites  living  out  of  Palestine  continued, 
upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Beth-Din,  assembled  in  Tham,  to  observe  the 
additional  holydays ;  not,  however,  thinking  them  commanded  by  Moses,  but 
as  commemorative  of  the  state  of  the  captives  previous  to  that  time.  The 
second  and  last  days  are  considered  as  mere  prolongations  of  the  preceding 
ones,  and  the  same  chapters  are  read  for  the  conclusion  of  the  reading  of  the 
law  (TJD3D),  as  on  the  original  days. — That  the  Sanhedrin  had  the  right  to 
recommend  the  observance  of  this  custom,  I  cannot  doubt,  (see  Deut.  chap, 
xvii.  and  1  Kings,  chap.  viii.  v.  6.)  and  since  the  Israelites,  in  all  their  disper- 
sions, have  acted  accordingly  for  seventeen  hundred  years,  the  custom  has  in  a 
manner  become  law,  and  it  would  accordingly  be  wrong  to  abolish  the  cus- 
tom of  our  ancestors,  for  the  sole  reason  that  some  merchants  sustain  a  trifling 
loss  by  the  observance  of  six  additional  holydays  in  a  whole  year. 

N.  B.  The  narrative  part  of  the  above  is  drawn  from  the  second  chapter  of 
Talmud  Betzah. 


THE  FESTIVALS.  101 

turb  them,  but  they  shared,  without  being  made  to  feel  it,  the  bless- 
ings bestowed  on  their  more  opulent  neighbours. 

Fifty  days  from  the  fourteenth  of  Nissan  had  passed  away,  and 
again  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  were  filled  with  the  gladsome  shout  of 
the  men  of  Israel,  as  each  company  came  with  music,  and  the  ox 
with  gilded  horns,  bringing  the  first  fruit  of  their  delightful  land  to 
the  temple  of  their  God.  For  the  sixth  day  of  Sican  had  arrived ; 
and  the  Israelites  therefore  were  assembled  before  the  altar  of  their 
God,  on  the  day  on  which  the  law,  under  which  they  so  happily 
lived,  had  been  proclaimed  to  their  ancestors  as  they  stood  trembling 
at  the  foot  of  Sinai !  O  days  of  happiness,  days  of  joy,  you  have  in- 
deed passed  away,  and  Israel  linger  in  a  land  not  their  own.  No 
more  in  the  vineyards  on  Israel's  mountains  are  the  daughters 
of  Zion  seen  to  dance,  and  the  sons  of  Levi  no  longer  chant  the 
songs  of  praise  on  thy  hill,  Moriah  !  Woe  to  us,  that  we  have 
sinned !  woe  to  us,  that  in  the  land,  where  the  glory  of  God  once 
shone,  the  stranger  lives  forgetful  of  our  God's  power,  and  the  Eter- 
nal's glory ! 

On  the  first  day  of  the  seventh  month  is  the  commencement  of  the 
civil  year ;  the  day,  on  which,  as  our  wise  men  teach  us,  the  Most 
High  holds  judgment  over  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  ap- 
portions to  each  man  his  annual  share  of  prosperity  and  woe.  O 
dread  day,  when  mortal  man  is  to  be  judged  by  his  Maker  !  what 
good  deeds  has  he  done  to  justify  himself  in  judgment  ?  can  the  sinful 
worm  yet  speak  loudly  then,  when  he  contemplates  the  fearful  dis- 
tance between  him  and  the  HOLY  ONE  of  Israel  ?  Therefore  did 
God  command  us  to  blow  the  cornet  on  that  day — to  let  the  signal 
trumpet  be  heard — to  call  up  the  latent  energies  of  his  people,  to  ex- 
hort them  to  a  speedy  and  sincere  repentance. — There  is  also 
another  reason  for  the  blowing  of  the  cornet.  In  the  eastern  coun- 
tries it  is  the  custom  to  receive  the  king  with  music,  particularly 
wind-instruments ;  we  therefore  blow  the  cornet  to  show,  that  we 
acknowledge  the  Creator,  on  the  day  on  which  the  world  was  cre- 
ated, our  King,  amid  the  fervent  prayer  of  the  people  and  the  sound 

of  the  trumpet The  Day  of  x\tonement  at  length  approaches,  and 

we  go  to  the  temple  of  God,  and  abstain  from  all  earthly  food  and 
drink  from  evening  to  evening,  and  only  live  in  the  contemplation  of 
God,  his  greatness,  his  kindness,  and  his  mercy !  and  happy  arc 


102  THE  FESTIVALS. 

we,  if  we  come  well  prepared,  well  fortified  in  faith  and  firm  reliance 
upon  God's  mercy— happy,  if  we  have  forgiven  all  our  enemies  sin- 
cerely and  truly — happy,  if  our  frail  body  alone  separates  us  from 
the  Deity !  If  we  come  thus  before  Mercy's  throne — the  purity  and 
whiteness  of  our  garments  a  true  emblem  of  the  purity  and  sacred- 
ness  of  our  souls — if  the  voice  of  the  nan?  (cornet)  has  had  its  in- 
tended effect  upon  us — if  the  nine  days  of  preparation  have  not  been 
misspent :  then  may  we  be  assured,  that  on  that  day  all  our  sins 
will  be  forgiven,  and  that,  cleansed  from  our  iniquities,  we  shall 
stand  pure  and  unspotted  before  the  Eternal ! 

When  the  temple  yet  stood,  the  high-priest  walked  on  that  day 
into  the  holy  of  holies,  whilst  the  cloud  of  incense  filled  the  place, 
where  the  ark  of  the  covenant  was,  and  here  he  sprinkled  on  that 
day  alone  the  blood  of  the  sacrifices,  and  here  he  also  prayed  a  short 
prayer  for  the  welfare  of  the  people.  Before  he  killed  his  sacrifice 
and  that  of  the  people,  he  confessed  his  sins  and  the  sins  of  the  con- 
gregation, imposing  at  the  same  time  his  hands  upon  the  heads  of 
the  animals,  and  when  he  pronounced  the  name  of  the  Eternal,  all 
the  priests  and  people,  who  were  standing  by,  fell  upon  their  faces 
and  exclaimed  :  "  Praised  be  the  name  of  the  glory  of  his  kingdom 
for  ever  and  ever  !" — But,  no  longer  is  our  temple  standing — no 
longer  are  the  descendants  of  Aaron  graced  with  the  sacerdotal 
robes — and  the  holy  of  holies  is  no  longer  the  dwelling  place  of  the 
ark !  The  fat  of  oxen  is  no  more  seen  burning  upon  the  altar — no 
longer  are  its  sides  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the  sin-offering — and 
the  incense  no  more  curls  upwards  under  the  hands  of  the  Cohen ! 
Mayest  Thou,  O  holy  God,  receive  our  prayers — the  offering  of  the 
contrite  heart — in  the  place  of  the  offerings  of  beasts,  and  let  our 
lips*  pay  for  steers  which,  in  days  of  yore,  were  led  to  thy  temple 
in  atonement  for  our  sins  ! 

The  year  had  terminated,  and  the  sun  had  entered  Libra,  and 
thus  produced  the  autumnal  equinox ;  the  grapes  hung  in  rich  clus- 
ters along  the  vines,  and  the  golden  fruit  glistened  among  the  dark 
foliage  of  the  fruit  trees.      Here  and  there  autumn  had  already 

*  This  is  a  quotation  from  Isaiah,  and  plainly  means,  that  since  the  captive 
Israelites  can  no  longer  offer  up  sacrifices,  which  could  only  be  done  at  the  place 
chosen  by  God ;  the  prayer  which  we  oiler  up,  the  words  of  our  lips,  may  be 
as  acceptable  to  God  as  the  steers  once  burnt  upon  the  altar. 


THE  FESTIVALS.  103 

changed  the  hue  of  the  leaves,  and  some  lay  scattered  under  the 
trees,  which  they  had  graced  during  the  spring  and  summer. 
Every  husbandman  was  busied  with  gathering  in  the  bounteous 
blessings  of  his  God,  to  provide  himself  sustenance  for  the  coming 
winter.  The  heart  of  man  was  raised  high,  when  he  contemplated 
the  manifold  blessings  showered  upon  him,  though  unworthy  he 
might  be.  Gratitude  would  naturally  then  fill  his  bosom,  and  he 
would  feel  more  inclined  to  obey  the  will  of  God,  because  of  his 
great  kindness  to  him. — In  this  time  of  general  joy,  on  the  fifteenth 
day  of  the  seventh  month,  were  we  commanded  to  celebrate  the  feast 
of  Succoth  or  Tabernacles.  On  the  Day  of  Atonement  our  sins  had 
been  forgiven,  and  immediately  after  we  were  commanded  to  build 
tabernacles  niDD  for  our  residence  during  the  first  seven  days  of  the 
feast.  Though  the  chill  of  autumn  had'  already  arrived,  yet  was  it 
our  duty  to  prove  ourselves  worthy  of  having  our  sins  forgiven  to 
us,  by  placing  entire  confidence  in  God,  and  obeying  his  will  to  the 
letter,  though  it  might  be  a  little  inconvenient  to  our  bodily  ease,  and 
we  were  obliged  to  dwell  in  booths  for  seven  days  in  the  chilly  time 
of  year,  to  commemorate  that  He  caused  our  ancestors  to  dwell  in 
booths,  when  He  brought  them  out  of  Egypt. — The  dwelling  in  ta- 
bernacles was  therefore  a  symbol  of  our  placing  ourselves  under  the 
shadow  of  God's  protection,  and  withdrawing  from  the  cares  and 
enjoyments  of  life. — This  feast  was  also  a  time  for  all  the  men  of 
Israel  to  meet  at  the  city  God  had  chosen  for  his  residence,  and  the 
first  and  eighth  days  were,  like  the  Passover  and  Pentecost,  days  of 
holy  convocation  and  suspension  of  labour.  (All  the  ceremonies, 
except  the  sacrifices,  relatives  to  the  holydays  are  yet  observed  by 
us  at  the  present  time,  as  commanded  by  Moses.) 

On  the  first  day  of  the  feast  of  Tabernacles  we  were  to  take  the 
fruit  of  the  citron-tree,  the  palm-branch,  the  myrtle  and  the  willow. 
These  four  productions  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  were  in  old  times, 
and  are  even  now,  used  in  the  following  manner :  the  palm,  the 
myrtle,  and  the  willow,  being  united  in  one  bunch,  are  taken  in  the 
right  hand,  and  the  citron  in  the  left,  and  thus  held,  they  are  waved 
three  times  each  towards  the  east,  west,  north,  and  south,  upwards 
and  downwards,  in  certain  parts  of  the  prayers.  "  But  what  is  the 
meaning  of  this  ?" — Let  us  consider  the  shape  and  formation  of  these 
various  products,  and  we  shall  find  them  symbolical  of  ourselves. — 


104  THE  FESTIVALS. 

The  palm  branch  is  tall  and  erect,  and  its  leaves  are  branching  out 
from  it  on  both  sides ;  it  is  like  the  stature  of  man  erect,  it  is  like 
his  back-bone,  from  which  the  ribs  branch  out  on  either  side  ;  the 
oval  myrtle  leaf  is  like  the  eye  of  man — and  the  willow  like  his  lips 
compressed — the  citron  is  pointed  like  the  man's  heart ;  all  these 
are  taken  for  the  worship  of  God,  and  thus  shall  our  body,  our  eyes, 
our  lips,  and  our  heart  all  be  united  in  the  worship  of  God. 

Or  perhaps  they  may  be  symbolical  of  the  nation  of  the  Israelites. 
The  citron  is  a  fragrant  fruit  and  delightful  to  the  taste ;  the  palm 
bears  fine  fruit,  but  has  no  fragrance  ;  the  myrtle  has  fragrance,  but 
a  bitter  taste ;  and  at  last,  the  willow  has  neither  taste  nor  fragrance. 
Thus  are  amongst  Israel,  men  of  good  learning  and  good  works — men 
of  good  works  without  learning ;  men  of  learning  without  good  deeds ; 
and  at  last,  others  who  have  neither  learning  nor  virtue.  But  al- 
though one  is  superior  to  the  other  in  virtue  and  learning,  yet  do  we 
find  that  God  commanded  us  to  join  the  citron,  the  palm,  the  myrtle, 
and  the  willow,  thus  showing,  that  however  exalted  we  may  be, 
though  our  brother  be  ignorant  and  sinful,  yet  shall  we  not  cast  him 
off;  but  unite  him  with  us  in  the  bonds  of  love,  and  induce  him  to 
worship,  no  less  than  we  do,  our  common  Creator. — We  wave  the 
four  kinds  mentioned  to  all  the  four  corners  of  the  compass,  towards 
heaven  and  downwards  to  the  earth,  to  indicate  that  we  acknow- 
ledge God,  "  who  formed  the  corners  of  the  world,  made  the  heavens, 
the  earth,  and  all  that  is  in  them ;"  we  wave  the  palm-branch*  in  our 
prayers,  to  thank  God  for  his  bounty  with  the  plants  he  has  given 
us  for  our  use  and  sustenance ;  we  hold  up  the  palm-branch  and  pray 
Him  to  continue  his  kindness  to  us,  and  to  save  j"  us  from  evil,  and  to 
give  us  prosperity  in  all  our  doings ! 

When  we  have  dwelt  seven  days  in  the  tabernacles,  when  on  the 
seventh  we  have  laid  by  the  palm,  the  myrtle,  the  willow,  and  the 
citron,  when  we  have  said  the  last  grace  in  the  Succah  (tabernacle) : 
we  are  yet  to  celebrate  another  day  more,  a  closing  day  of  festiviy  to 

*  For  the  sake  of  brevity,  and  on  account  of  the  size  of  the  palm-branch 
above  the  others,  the  expression  has  become  common  amongst  us  :  to  say  grace 
over  the  ^SlS  (Loolab,  the  palm-branch),  wlien  in  fact  the  citron,  the  myrtle, 
and  the  willow,  arc  also  understood. 

t  :  KJ  nn,l?Vn  'p  MK  NJ  njrisnn  'n  ftOM  Psalm  118,  v.  25.— This  psalm 
is  read  during  the  feast  of  Succoth. 


THE  FESTIVALS.  105 

the  honour  of  God.  Then  we  pray  for  the  blessing  of  timely  and 
abundant  rain,  and  a  year  of  plenty,  of  cheerfulness,  and  of  peace ; 
that  we  may  all  have  as  much  as  we  stand  in  need  of,  without  our 
being  obliged  to  beg  for  our  bread  from  a  brother  or  a  stranger,  but 
receive  it  immediately  from  the  Supporter  of  all ! 

Some  of  our  wise  men  have  compared  our  festivals  to  the  three 
stages  of  the  human  life.  Passover  is  our  youth,  when  all  before  us 
is  yet  happy  expectation,  and  when  we  enter  the  rugged  path  of  life 
with  a  buoyant  heart  and  smiling  countenance ;  we  only  look  at  the 
surface  of  things,  and  seeing  amid  the  fine  flowers  and  verdant  hills 
no  obstacle  to  our  onward  march  in  virtue  and  worldly  prosperity, 
we  dream  not  of  disappointments  we  may  have  to  encounter,  and  of 
trials  that  await  us. — Next  comes  the  Pentecost,  the  middle  age  of 
man,  when  we  have  been  already  obliged  to  work  under  a  hot  sun  ; 
we  have  perhaps  been  often  overcome  by  faintness  in  our  daily  toil, 
we  have  heard  the  thunder  roll  over  our  heads,  and  seen  the  light- 
ning rend  the  green  forest  trees — to  drop  the  figurative  language, 
we  have,  as  we  grow  older,  been  forced  to  undergo  many  fatigues 
and  disappointments  to  procure  an  honest  livelihood ;  we  have  seen 
our  best  hopes  foiled,  and  we  have  discovered  how  firmly  we  have 
been  forced  to  withstand  that  temptation,  which  has  drawn  so  many 
others  around  us  from  the  path  of  virtue. — At  last  comes  the  feast  of 
Tabernacles,  when  the  autumn  begins  to  scatter  the  yellow  leaves 
round  the  tree ;  the  time  when  age  is  already  encroaching  upon 
our  strength  of  body  and  vigour  of  mind ;  when  our  hairs  begin  to 
grow  white,  and  we  are  at  last  thinking  of  enjoying  the  fruit  of  our 
labour  through  a  life  mixed  with  sorrow  and  gladness — and  we  begin 
to  look  forward  to  the  winter,  to  the  grave,  which  must  at  length 
receive  us,  and  which,  when  it  closes  over  us,  hides  all  our  cares,  all 
our  earthly  joys — and  leaves  the  soul  free  to  enjoy  that  blessing,  to 
deserve  which  she  has  so  nobly  acted  here  below,  in  withstanding 
sin,  subduing  the  passions,  and  dispensing  good  to  all  around  us !  O 
happy  old  age  ! — when  with  such  thoughts  and  feelings  we  see  death 
approach ;  and  we  need  not  then  fear  the  temporary  dissolution, 
which  must  for  ever  join  us  to  our  Father  in  heaven,  in  bliss,  joy,  and 
everlasting  peace ! 


14 


106 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE    SACRIFICES. 


It  will  be  easily  discovered  in  reading  the  preceding  chapter,  that 
the  festivals,  and  the  ceremonies  attending  them,  are  not  founded  upon 
superstitious  usages  ;  but  that  they  are  intended  to  preserve  to  the 
latest  posterity  the  memory  of  those  events,  which  are  recorded  as  the 
cause  of  their  being  instituted.  Thus  was  the  Passover  instituted  to 
celebrate  annually  our  redemption  from  Egypt ;  the  Pentecost  (niyiUty 
Shahboongoth),  the  promulgation  of  the  law  from  Sinai,  and  the 
Tabernacle-feast,  that  for  forty  years  our  almighty  Redeemer 
caused  our  ancestors  to  live  in  tents  by  Him  provided,  and  that  He, 
through  all  this  time,  held  his  protecting  arm  over  them,  and  pro- 
vided for  all  their  wants,  and  supplied  them  with  the  necessaries  of 
life.  The  n$&t  day  of  the  seventh  month  is,  as  lias  been  mentioned 
above,  the  New-year's-day,  the  day  on  which  all  the  world  is  judged ; 
and  the  tenth  of  the  same  month  is  the  Day  of  Atonement,  on  which 
sins  sincerely  repented,  faults  positively  amended,  and  injuries  done 
to  our  neighbours  atoned  for  by  full  reparation  having  been  made 
them,  will  be  forgiven  by  God  to  those  who  seek  his  forgiveness. 

But  some  may  say  again  :  "  We  will  admit  that  the  festivals  can 
be  construed  to  mean  very  pretty  things  ;  but  what  have  you  Jews 
to  say  in  favour  of  the  sacrifices  ?  Can  any  man  seriously  believe 
that  the  blood  of  an  animal  can  operate  as  a  forgiveness  for  his  sins 
— or  rather,  can  it  be  taken,  according  to  your  opinion,  as  a  full 
expiation  for  offences  committed  ?" 

To  answer  this  query  properly  we  will  now  proceed  to  investi- 
gate, according  to  the  truths  laid  down  in  the  Pentateuch  and  the 
prophets,  the  view  of  the  offerings,  and  how  and  when  they  were 
required. — First :  "  Did  the  Jews  believe  that  they  could  be  for- 
given when  they  sinned  wilfully,  at  the  same  time  promising  a  sacri- 
fice in  atonement  of  this  sin  1  And  :  Granted  the  Mosaic  law  did  not 
countenance  such  a  practice,  had  not  the  Jews  degenerated  so  much 


THE  SACRIFICES.  107 

at  the  commencement  of  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Tiberius,  as  to 
deem  such  unhallowed  conduct  justifiable  V 

We  must,  unhesitatingly,  answer  both  questions  in  the  negative ; 
for  the  Mosaic  law  did  not  teach  that  a  man  might  sin,  and  bring  an 
ox  as  an  atonement ;  nor  did  the  Rabbins  and  Pharisees,  at  the  time 
of  Tiberius,  teach  any  thing  like  it,  but  just  the  contrary.  And 
although  it  has  often  been  asserted,  that  at  various  times,  if  not 
throughout  their  whole  existence,  the  Jews  looked  upon  the  blood  of 
animals  as  the  only  thing  requisite  to  obtain  atonement  for  any  sin 
committed  :  the  contrary  will  be  apparent,  if  any  man  will  but  can- 
didly examine  the  passages  from  our  writings  I  am  going  to  adduce 
in  support  of  this  assertion. 

In  the  book  of  Leviticus  we  find  no  where  that  wilful  sins  could 
be  expiated  by  sacrifices  alone ;  on  the  contrary,  we  read  in  Numb, 
chap.  xxxv.  that  no  expiation  could  be  made  by  a  murderer,  except 
with  his  life ;  analogous  crimes  were  punished  without  accepting 
bail  or  mainprize  (Levit.  chap.  xxiv.  v.  21.)  ;  and  (ibid.  chap,  xxvii. 
v.  29.)  we  find  that  no  man  condemned  for  a  crime*  (not  devoted  as 
incorrectly  rendered  in  the  Eng.  vers.)  could  be  redeemed,  but  was 
absolutely  to  die. — What,  then,  was  the  object  of  the  sacrifices  ? 
how  were  they  brought  ?  and  on  what  occasions  1 


*  The  Hebrew  word  which  I,  according  to  the  interpretation  of  our  Rab- 
bins, have  translated  as  above,  is  DTT.  The  same  word  is  found  in  Exod. 
chap.xxii.  v.  19.  Din1  DTlSttb  11311,  &c-  which  must  be  translated  :  "  He,  who 
sacrifices  to  any  other  deity  save  the  Eternal  alone,  shall  be  condemned  to  die," 
and  cannot  possibly  be  rendered  by  devoted  with  the  signification  it  apparently  has 
in  the  English  version  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  Leviticus.  The  intention  and  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  is  this :  in  the  commencement  of  the  chapter  on  valuations 
it  appears  that  every  person  of  every  age,  of  both  sexes,  has  his  particular  and 
fixed  price,  if  any  one  should  destine  the  value  of  such  persons  for  the  service 
of  God.  At  the  end  of  this  chapter,  therefore,  we  are  told  by  our  legislator, 
that  to  give  the  value  of  a  criminal  in  the  treasury  of  the  temple,  would  be  of 
no  avail  to  save  his  life,  for  that  it  was  forfeited  notwithstanding  such  a  price. 
"  And  was  such  an  exception  necessary  to  be  made  ?"  Certainly,  for  many  na- 
tions used  to  take  pay  from  a  murderer  even,  to  save  his  life  ;  and  amongst 
the  Germans  the  price  for  murder  was  less  than  that  for  horsestealing.  It  was, 
therefore,  necessary  that  God  should  prohibit,  in  the  most  explicit  terms,  any 
such  demoralising  practice  nmongst  that  people  clin^-n  by  Nun  as  his  peculiar 
treasure. 


108  THE  SACRIFICES. 

In  studying  the  book  of  Leviticus  we  shall  discover  that  sacri- 
fices were  national  and  individual.  The  national  sacrifices, — i.  e. 
those  for  the  whole  congregation — were  either  the  daily  burnt-offer- 
ings D^TOn,  the  additional  sacrifices  D'£3D1D  for  the  Sabbaths  and 
festivals,  or  sin-offerings  niNBn,  when  the  whole  congregation  had 
acted  contrary  to  a  principle  of  the  law  ;  as,  for  instance,  if  the  San- 
hedrin  had  given  a  wrong  decision  upon  a  question  of  law  referred 
to  them,  and  all  the  Israelites  had  acted  according  to  this  erroneous 
decision,  but  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  as  laid  down  in  the  law. 
(Lev.  iv.)  The  inpn  ^JK  spoken  of  above  in  chap.  xiv.  attended 
at  these  sacrifices,  as  the  representatives  of  the  people,  except  at  the 
national  sin-offering,  where  the  Elders,  who  were  the  cause  of  the 
sin,  themselves  attended  and  imposed  their  hands  upon  the  head  of 
the  victim;  and  on  the  Day  of  Atonement  the  high  priest  was 
obliged  to  do  the  same  with  the  goat  destined  as  the  offering  for  the 
whole  people.  (See.  Lev.  chap.  iv.  v.  15.  and  ibid.  xvi.  v.  21.) 

Private  or  individual  sacrifices  were  either  brought  when  a  man 
had,  through  ignorance,  offended  against  one  of  the  principal  nega- 
tive precepts,  the  offering  in  this  case  was  called  riNDH  sin-offering  ) 
or  when  he  had  wronged  his  fellow  man,  or  committed  one  of  the 
other  sins  enumerated  in  Leviticus,  for  which  a  trespass-offering 
DBW  was  to  be  sacrificed ;  or  when  he  had  escaped  an  imminent 
danger,  for  which  a  rmn  i.  e.  thanksgiving-offering,  was  brought ; 
or  at  last  offerings  which  a  man  voluntarily  obliged  himself  to  bring, 
which  were  of  two  kinds,  d-dSp  peace  and  nb^  burnt-offerings, 
though  the  latter  were  frequently  offered  as  an  atonement  for  evil 
thoughts,  when  a  man  had  not  accomplished  the  intended  sin  or  tres- 
pass. It  is  useless  to  explain  the  various  kinds  of  sacrifices,  which 
were  either  of  horned  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  birds,  or  fine  flour,  and 
in  one  instance  barley  meal,  (Numb.  chap.  v.  v.  15.),  as  these  can 
easily  be  found  out  by  turning  to  the  law  book  itself;  1  shall  there- 
fore proceed  at  once  to  explain  the  reasons  and  purpose  of  the  sacri- 
fices. 

God  is  just  and  merciful  to  all  his  creatures,  for  He  maintains  all 
through  his  infinite  kindness,  and  has,  as  we  have  seen,  given  them 
a  law,  which,  if  obeyed,  must  lead  a  man  to  happiness.  To  obey, 
therefore,  the  will  of  God,  is  nothing  more  than  to  show  our  grati- 
tude to  Him  by  following  the  rules  which  He  has  marked  out  for 


THE  SACRIFICES.  109 

our  happiness,  and,  in  consequence,  we  shall  be  made  happy,  if  we 
are,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  religious. — To  disobey  the  word  of 
God  is  ingratitude,  and  we  therefore,  by  our  own  actions,  discard 
happiness  and  choose  misery  and  punishment.  If  a  man  sins  wil- 
fully he  can  blame  only  himself  for  misery  he  may  draw  upon  him- 
self by  his  acts ;  and :  if  these  offences  be  committed  against  the 
peace  of  society,  he  will  be  punished  by  those  entrusted  with  the 
management  of  public  affairs,  and  who  are,  therefore,  guardians 
for  the  time  being,  of  the  public  welfare — that  is,  the  happiness'  and 
peace  of  society. — But  if  he  should  transgress,  not  the  laws  of  men, 
but  the  statutes  of  God,  should  he  not  in  this  case  also  deserve  pun- 
ishment? Shall  the  laws  of  God  be  transgressed  with  impunity, 
when  those  of  men  must  be  obeyed  to  the  letter  ?  Certainly  not, 
and  whatever  may  be  said  about  the  cruelty  it  would  appear  in  the 
Deity  to  punish  man  hereafter  for  sins  committed  in  this  life  ;  yet 
will  every  thinking  man  see,  upon  a  moment's  reflection,  that  God 
cannot  be  blamed  for  that,  which  man  by  his  own  wickedness  and 
wilful  folly  draws  upon  himself,  when  he  had  the  power  to  avoid  the 
evil. — But  for  wrong  actions  done  unknowingly  or  in  ignorance  man 
cannot,  with  any  degree  of  justice,  be  punishable  to  an  equal  extent 
with  sins  committed  wilfully.  Yet  a  wrong  action,  a  sin,  has  been 
committed,  and  the  harmony  of  right  has  been  disturbed  ;  and  then 
man  should  always  be  watchful,  always  consider  the  bearings  of  all 
he  engages  in,  and  should,  moreover,  make  himself  acquainted  with 
his  duty ;  he  ought,  therefore,  to  make  atonement  for  his  sins,  he 
ought  to  show  that  he  is  sorry  for  having  offended  his  God,  who  main- 
tains him  and  watches  over  him.  He  was  for  this  reason  obliged  to 
bring  a  sin-offering  to  the  temple  door,  lay  his  hand  upon  its  head,  and 
kill  it,  or  have  it  killed,  as  a  sin-offering.  (Lev.  chap.  iv.  v.  33.)  The 
meaning  of  this  is  :  that  the  offerer,  who  wished  to  be  forgiven,  was  to 
ask  of  God  the  forgiveness  of  his  transgression,  whilst  imposing  his 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  victim,  and  then  have  this  animal  killed, 
with  a  view  that  it  was  intended  for  this  particular  occasion.  No 
foreign  thoughts  were  to  obtrude  during  the  sacrifice  ;  but  the  sin- 
ner's attention  was  to  be  riveted  to  the  ceremony ;  and  he  was  to 
consider,  that  as  he  himself  had  laid  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  the 
beast,  thus  had  he  himself  deserved  the  imposition  of  hands  by  the 
witnesses  of  his  crime,  previous  to  execution,  (Ibid.  chap.  xxiv.  v. 
14.) ;  as  the  blood  of  the  beast  was  flowing,  thus  had  he  deserved 


HO  THE  SACRIFICES. 

to  be  dealt  with,  and  so  on  at  every  stage  and  ceremony  during  the 
sacrifice.  If  a  man  truly  penitent,  thus  prepared  and  so  doing, 
came  before  the  altar  of  God,  can  it  be  doubted  that  the  sacrifice 
was  obliged  to  work  a  reformation  in  him  1  And  again,  can  any  man 
gainsay  that  he  ought  to  have  been  forgiven,  if  he  was  sincerely 
sorry  for  what  had  past,  and  acted  for  the  future  as  he  had  deter- 
mined during  the  moment  of  holy  enthusiasm  1 

As  has  been  said  above,  if  a  man  has  sinned  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary that  he  should  make  an  atonement  of  some  sort  or  other.  If 
he  commits  theft  or  otherwise  wrongs  another  person,  it  is  but  just 
that  he  should  make  restitution  to  the  full  extent  of  the  injury  he 
has  done.  But  though  he  thus  satisfy  his  neighbour,  yet  he  has 
also  offended  his  God,  for  every  breach  of  duty  against  the  peace  of 
society  is  an  offence  against  the  law  of  our  God,  whose  object,  in 
promulgating  it,  was  the  happiness  of  mankind,  as  has  been  already 
sufficiently  established  in  the  foregoing. — Any  man,  therefore,  who 
had  been  guilty  of  such  a  sin,  as  just  mentioned,  was  to  bring  a 
trespass-offering  in  expiation,  and  its  treatment  was  in  almost  every 
respect  similar  to  that  of  the  sin-offering. 

When  the  traveller  in  the  pathless  desert  had  felt  the  keen  blast 
of  the  poisorigMs  Simoom,  when  he  had  expected  to  perish  amidst  the 
endless  sand,  for  want  of  water,  for  lack  of  food :  it  was  his  duty, 
after  he  had  reached  the  residence  of  men,  to  return,  publicly, 
thanks  to  his  God,  and  to  bring  to  his  altar  the  rnin  (Todah)  the 
offering  of  thanksgiving — When  amidst  the  storm  of  the  battle- 
field he  had  sunk  overpowered  by  fatigue,  and  been  led  away  cap- 
tive, and  had  long  lingered  in  hopeless  captivity  in  the  land  of  his 
enemies  :  he  was  also  to  testify  his  gratitude  when  he  had  returned  to 
the  bosom  of  his  family. — When  a  man  had  been  thrown  upon  the  bed 
of  sickness,  all  his  bones  had  ached,  when  he  loathed  food  and  a  speedy 
death  had  been  impending  over  him  :  when  he  recovered  he  was  bound 
to  proclaim,  before  all,  the  mercy  of  his  Deliverer  from  death,  and 
with  his  thanks  bring  the  offering  as  ordained. — When  the  seafaring 
man  had  encountered  a  furious  storm,  while  the  waves  dashed  the  frail 
bark  to  and  fro,  when  the  master  had  exhausted  all  his  skill  in  vain, 
and  expected,  in  mute  despair,  the  wreck  of  his  ship  :  when  then  God's 
mercy  had  been  manifested  to  him,  and  the  storm  abated,  and  the  sea 
calmed,  and  he  had  been  permitted  to  enter  the  port  of  his  desti- 


THE  SACRIFICES.  HI 

nation  in  safety — he  was  obliged  to  praise  God  before  the  assemblage 
of  people,  and  to  repair  to  the  altar  with  the  sacrifice.* 

We  have  thus  a  brief  view  of  the  object  of  this  sacrifice ;  but 
who  is  bold  enough  to  call  it  superstitious,  when  we  must  admit, 
even  without  the  aid  of  revelation,  that  we  are  bound  by  mere  com- 
mon gratitude,  when  we  have  escaped  from  danger,  to  return  thanks 
to  Him  who  is  the  disposer  of  our  fate  ;  and  how  can  our  gratitude 
to  Him  be  better  shown,  than  if,  by  a  public  acknowledgment  of  his 
mercy,  we  induce  others,  who  may  have  strayed  from  his  ways,  to 
love,  to  fear,  and  to  adore  Him  ? 

When,  at  last,  a  man  saw  himself  blessed  and  all  around  him 
cheerful,  he  brought  a  peace-offering,  of  which  all  his  friends  were 
usually  invited  to  partake.  This  sacrifice,  the  firstlings  and  the  an- 
nual tithe  of  the  increase  of  the  flocks,  were  permitted  to  be  eaten  for 
the  space  of  two  days  and  one  night,  but  all  the  other  sacrifices, 
those  I  mean,  which  were  eaten  either  by  the  priests  or  the  offerers, 
were  not  allowed  to  be  eaten  after  midnight  of  the  first  day,  and 
whatever  was  left  after  this  time,  was  to  be  burnt.  (See  various  pas- 
sages of  Leviticus  relating  to  the  sacrifices.)  It  is  well  known,  that 
it  was  unlawful  for  any  Israelite  to  sacrifice  out  of  the  precincts  of  the 
temple,  and  the  tendency  therefore  of  the  frequent  offerings  was  to 
bring  the  people  often  to  the  house  of  God,  where  an  interchange  of 
opinions  and  acts  of  friendship  could  and  did  take  place.  And  the 
greater  the  individual  happiness  of  the  Israelites  was,  the  greater 
must  have  been  the  benefit  arising  from  those  meetings,  for  when  a 
man  is  happy  himself,  and  actuated  by  motives  of  true  religion,  he 
will  always  be  glad  to  rejoice  when  others  are  happy,  and  he  will 
try  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  promote  general  satisfaction  around 
him. 

Though  the  private  burnt  and  peace-offerings  are  spoken  of  in  the 
law,  yet  were  we  never  commanded  to  bring  such  offerings ;  for  in 
this,  as  in  other  acts  of  virtue,  the  Almighty  never  intended  to  force 
our  inclinations,  but  left  it  altogether  to  our  own  free  choice  to  bring 

*  These  four  cases  are  described  in  the  107th  psalm,  with  the  usual  energy 
of  the  sacred  poets ;  and  all  those  desirous  of  being  kindled  by  an  ardent  devo- 
tion to  the  great  and  merciful  Supreme,  may  be  safely  referred  to  this  psalm, 
as  they  must  rise  from  its  perusal  with  a  mind  filled  with  a  holy  reverence  of 
God's  majesty. 


112  THE  SACRIFICES. 

such  sacrifices  or  not.  He  even  tells  us  (Deut.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  23) 
that  we  should  commit  no  sin,  if  we  made  no  vows  at  all ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  He  most  strenuously  exhorts  us  to  keep  strictly  to  our 
vows,  for  their  violation  is  highly  offensive  to  Him. 

We  have  thus  seen  briefly  exhibited  the  nature  of  the  sacrifices ; 
but  it  may  be  asked  :  "  Did  not  the  Jews  think  themselves  absolved 
from  sin  by  the  mere  sacrifice  of  beasts  and  a  pretended  reformation?" 

That  such  opinion  may  have  taken  root  amongst  our  ancestors,  I 
cannot  positively  disprove,  though  it  is  highly  improbable  ;  but  this 
I  can  say  with  the  utmost  confidence,  that  if  they  ever  thought  so,  it 
was  contrary  to  what  they  had  ever  been  taught  by  the  prophets. — 
The  first  lesson  on  this  subject  we  find  in  1  Samuel  chap.  xv.  v.  22. 
Samuel  had  orered  Shahool  (Saul)  to  go  and  slay  all  the  Amalekites 
and  to  suffer  not  even  a  beast  to  live.  Shahool  did  go  and  conquered 
the  Amalekites,  but  took  the  best  of  the  cattle  along  with  him ;  and 
when  the  prophet  enquired  of  him  at  their  meeting  after  his  return, 
"  about  the  voice  of  the  sheep  he  heard,"  he  answered  him  frankly, 
that  "  they  (the  sheep)  had  been  brought  from  the  enemies'  country, 
and  that  they  were  intended  for  sacrifices."  Hereupon  Samuel  said, 
and  I  beg  every  Jew  and  every  stranger  to  our  faith  to  consider 
with  attention  his  words :  "  Does  the  Eternal  find  as  much  pleasure 
in  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices  as  in  hearkening  to  the  voice  of  the 
Eternal  1  Behold,  to  hearken,  is  better  than  a  fine  sacrifice,  and  to 
obey  better  than  the  fat  of  rams  !  For  disobedience  is  equal  to  the 
sin  of  witchcraft,  and  refusing  to  comply  is  like  idolatry  and  image- 
worship."  This  speech  of  Samuel  is  too  plain  to  be  misunderstood, 
for  he  is  here  correcting  an  error  into  which  Saul  had  fallen,  and  of 
course  it  must  be  conceded,  that  sacrifices  were  not  according  to  the 
Mosaic  law  and  the  opinion  of  the  good  amongst  the  Israelites  the 
only  thing  necessary  for  the  absolution  of  sins. — This  position  is  in- 
controvertible;  but  since  the  truth  of  the  prophets  has  been  so 
frequently  assailed,  since  their  motives  have  been  so  often  misrepre- 
sented, since  their  doctrines  are  so  little  understood :  I  shall  give 
concurrent  evidence  from  three  others,  according  to  our  belief,  in- 
spired writers,  namely,  Ahsaph,  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah,  in  accordance 
with  Samuel's  address,  and  thus  force  even  the  most  obdurate  to  ad- 
mit, that  the  assertion  in  the  commencement  of  this  chapter  is 
correct. 


THE  SACRIFICES.  113 

First,  as  to  Asaph ;  the  opinion  of  the  holy  bard  is  found  in  Psalm 
1.  v.  7,  &c,  where  he  speaks  in  the  person  of  the  Deity  :  "  Hear 
me,  my  people,  whilst  I  speak,  Israel !  whilst  I  testify  against  thee  : 
I  AM  GOD,  THY  GOD  !  Not  for  thy  sacrifices  will  I  reprove  thee, 
nor  need  thy  burnt-offerings  be  continually  before  me.  I  will  not 
an  ox  from  thy  house,  nor  a  ram  from  thy  enclosures ;  for  mine  are 
all  the  beasts  of  the  field,  the  cattle  on  the  mountains  by  thousands  ; 
1  know  all  the  birds  of  the  mountains,  and  all  that  moveth  upon  the 
field  is  with  me.  When  I  hunger,  I  need  not  tell  thee,  for  mine  is 
the  universe  and  all  that  is  in  it. — Shall  I  eat  the  flesh  of  the  fattened 
sheep  ?  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  rams  1  Offer  up  thy  thanks  unto 
God,  and  then  pay  the  Most  High  thy  vows.  And  call  on  me  in 
the  day  of  affliction,  and  I  will  help  thee  out — thus  only  thou  hon- 
ourest  me  !"*  Here  the  Psalmist  plainly  tells  us,  that  not  sacrifices 
alone  are  agreeable  to  God,  for  "  when  He  hungers  He  need  not  tell 
us,  for  all  the  world  is  his  ;"  but  his  chief  delight  (if  I  may  so  ex- 
press myself)  is,  that  we  show  ourselves  grateful  for  his  kindness  by 
our  actions,  and  honour  Him  by  word  and  thought ! 

Isaiah  (chap.  i.  v.  11,)  exclaims  in  the  bitterness  of  his  heart: 
"  To  what  use  serves  me  the  great  quantity  of  your  sacrifices,  says 
the  Eternal,  I  am  tired  of  the  burnt-offerings  of  rams,  and  the  fat  of 
fattened  sheep ;  I  no  longer  desire  the  blood  of  oxen,  of  sheep,  and 
of  goats.  And  when  you  come  to  appear  before  me — who  asked  it 
of  your  hands  to  tread  (the  floor  of)  my  courts?  Bring  no  longer 
your  insinceref  meal-offerings,  for  it  is  incense  of  abomination  to 
me,"  &c. 

Again,  chap.  lxvi.  v.  3,  he  says  :  "  He  who  kills  an  ox,  slays  a 
man ;  he  who  sacrifices  a  lamb,  breaks  the  neck  of  a  dog ;  he  who 
brings  a  meal-offering,  sacrifices  a  swine ;  he  who  burns  incense, 
bringeth  as  it  were  stolen  property  as  a  present ;  they  also  chose 
their  own  ways,  and  their  soul  delighted  in  their  abominations." 

*  This  translation  is  chiefly  according  to  Yarchi's  commentary  upon  the 
fiftieth  psalm,  which  see. 

t  The  Hebrew  words  wtp  fiJ"UD  are  rendered  "  vain  oblation,"  which  does 
not,  according  to  my  opinion,  express  the  prophet's  meaning ;  for  he  intended  not 
to  say,  that  the  oblations  in  general  were  vain,  but  that  they  were  disagreeable 
to  God  on  account  of  the  wickedness  of  the  people  at  that  time ;  I  have  there- 
fore thought  proper  to  translate  these  words  "  insincere  meal-offerings." 
15 


114  THE  SACRIFICES. 

In  the  57th  chapter,  Isaiah  explains  what  kind  of  fasting  can  be 
agreeable  to  God,  from  all  which  it  appears,  that  no  outward  show 
can,  according  to  the  opinion  of  Isaiah,  tend  to  operate  as  an  expia- 
tion for  sins. 

Jeremiah  confirms  the  assertion  of  Samuel,  Asaph,  and  Isaiah,  in 
the  following  words  :  "  For  I  did  not  say  to  your  fathers,  nor  did  1 
command  them,  on  the  day  when  I  carried  them  out  of  Egypt,  any 
thing  about  burnt-offerings  or  sacrifices.  But  this  matter  commanded 
1  them,  as  follows :  "  Hearken  to  my  voice,  and  I  will  be  your  God, 
and  you  shall  be  my  people,  and  you  shall  go  in  all  the  ways  which 
I  will  command  you,  that  good  may  be  done  to  you."  (Jeremiah  vii. 
v.  22  and  23). 

There  are  other  passages  in  the  Bible  to  prove  that  the  Jews  did 
not  think  slaying  an  animal  sufficient  for  an  atonement  if  not  accom- 
panied with  sincere  repentance,  and  amelioration  of  the  former 
course  of  life  of  the  sinner,  if  the  offence  was  against  God  alone,  or 
reparation  of  the  injury  done  to  man — before  a  sacrifice  could  be 
supposed  to  be  acceptable  to  the  Deity. 

Instead  now  of  the  Jewish  sacrifices  being  a  superstitious  rite,  like 
those  of  the  Romans,  Greeks,  and  other  nations,  they  were  on  the 
contrary  intended  to  draw  forth  the  finest  feelings  which  grace  hu- 
man nature :  in  the  first  place,  love  and  gratitude  to  God ;  secondly, 
restitution  of  property,  unlawfully  obtained  from  our  fellow-men ; 
and  lastly,  they  were  eminently  useful  to  make  ourselves  better  men, 
and  more  fitted  to  receive  the  blessings  of  the  Most  High,  whose  for- 
giveness we  always  implored  by  the  act  of  sacrificing. — Another 
noble  feature  does  this  law  of  sacrifices  present  to  our  view.  After 
our  legislator  had  detailed  in  the  first  chapter  of  Leviticus  the  regu- 
lations to  be  observed  at  the  sacrifice  of  an  ox,  of  sheep,  and  goats, 
and  of  pigeons  :  he  next  laid  down,  by  the  order  of  the  Almighty, 
the  rules  for  the  sacrifice  of  a  handful  of  meal,  the  offering  of  the 
poor.  Here  we  find  also  many  regulations  for,  and  a  description  of 
the  various  modes  in  which  the  poor  man  could  bring  his  humble 
offering ;  thus  showing,  that  the  poor  man's  pittance  will  be  no  less 
acceptable  to  the  Father  of  all,  than  the  rich  man's  magnificent  pre- 
sent ;  as  we  are  also  taught  by  our  Rabbins :  "  No  less  he  who  gives 
little,  than  he  who  gives  much,  will  be  acceptable,  provided  he 
steadily  direct  his  heart  and  thoughts  to  the  honour  of  Heaven." 


THE  SACRIFICES.  115 

Some  canting  heathen  may  perhaps  whine  about  the  cruelty  of  our 
priests  in  sacrificing  innocent  animals,  and  refer  with  exultation  to 
the  Brahmins,  who  never  even  eat  meat.  But  this  objection,  if  it  be 
really  urged,  is  really  too  nonsensical  almost  to  deserve  the  least 
notice ;  since,  however,  I  wish  to  proceed  step  by  step,  I  shall  endea- 
vour to  break  its  force  by  a  few  words.  Well  then,  philosophers, 
if  you  yourselves  will  abstain  from  animal  food  altogether,  I  would 
be  compelled  to  admit  this  your  argument  of  some  weight ;  but  it  is 
hardly  probable  that  you  are  resolved  to  sacrifice  this  much  to  your 
principles  of  universal  benevolence,  for  all  of  you  are  too  fond  of 
what  good  things  this  life  affords  to  act  so ;  but  even  if  you  did,  that 
could  be  no  reason  why  we  should  abstain  from  that  which  our  law 
allows  us.  All  the  brute,  vegetable,  and  mineral  creation  was  made 
subservient  to  man :  is  not  this  true  ? — To  proceed :  in  the  first  ages 
of  the  world,  namely,  before  the  flood,  animal  food  was  not  allowed 
to  man,  and  it  was  only  first  permitted  to  Noah.  (Genesis  ix.)  Since 
then  animals  may  be  slaughtered  for  our  own  use,  could  we  make  a 
nobler  use  of  this  permission,  than  to  dedicate  them  to  the  service 
of  our  Maker? — "  But  the  Brahmins?" — But  let  me  ask  you,  do 
they  not  burn  widows  alive  upon  the  funeral  piles  of  their  husbands  ? 
Do  they  not  sacrifice  men  to  their  idols  ?  Is  not  in  fact  ibeir  religion, 
if  religion  it  be,  more  like  brutality  than  wisdom  ? — I  may  therefore 
freely  assert,  that  the  objection  on  that  score  against  the  sacrifices  is 
of  no  force. 

We  must  now  investigate  the  last  part  of  the  introductory  ques- 
tion, namely  :  "  Had  not  the  Jews  degenerated  at  the  commencement 
of  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  so  much  as  to  think  that  sacrifices  were 
alone  an  atonement  for  all  sins  ?" 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Rabbins,  or  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
so  often  mentioned  in  the  gospels,  were  apparently  very  pious  men, 
for  even  the  gospels  admit  this ;  neither  can  it  be  denied  that  they 
stood  always  very  high  in  the  estimation  of  their  brethren.  Can  it 
be  possible,  I  ask,  that  they  should  have  obtained  and  preserved 
such  immense  influence  from  the  days  of  Ezra  to  the  present  hour, 
if  their  interpretation  of  the  law  had  been  contrary  to  the  generally 
received  opinion  ?  It  must,  therefore,  be  admitted,  even  if  there 
were  no  positive  argument  of  the  fact,  that  the  Jews,  in  the  time 
of  Tiberius,  had  the  same  opinion  concerning  the  sacrifices,  which 


116  THE  SACRIFICES. 

they  were  taught  to  entertain  by  Jeremiah  and  his  predecessors ; 
and  in  consequence,  that  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  did  not  believe 
that  wilful  sins  could  be  atoned  for  by  offering  sacrifices,  or  by 
any  other  means  save  suffering  the  punishment  decreed  for  the 
offences  committed. — But  that  this  was  their  opinion  we  are  enabled 
to  prove  by  positive  argument ;  for  we  read  in  Yomah,  Payreck  viii. 
Mishna  8:"1  sin-offering  and  a  trespass-offering  with  repent- 
ance will  operate  as  an  atonement." — Mishna  9  :  "He  who  says, « I 
will  sin  and  repent,  I  will  sin  and  repent,'  will  never  have  it  in  his 
power  to  repent.  He  who  says,  *  I  will  sin,  and  the  Day  of  Atone- 
ment shall  be  my  expiation,'  will  not  be  forgiven  on  the  Day  of 
Atonement.  Sins  between  God  and  man  will  be  forgiven  on  the 
Day  of  Atonement,  but  not  those  between  man  and  man,  till  the 
offender  has  made  reparation  to  the  other." 

This  proves  most  clearly  that  at  no  time  of  our  national  exist- 
ence was  it  considered  pardonable  to  commit  sins  with  a  view  of 
obtaining  forgiveness  by  sacrifices  or  any  other  method ;  for  it  was 
always  well  understood,  that  to  obey  the  word  of  God  is  the  greatest 
virtue,  and  disregarding  his  law  the  greatest  vice.  It  must,  therefore, 
be  admitted,  that  all  the  expiatory  offerings  were  instituted  for  sins 
committed  unconsciously  or  without  premeditation — or  without  hav- 
ing known  the  action  to  be  sinful.  Trespass-offerings,  as  we  have 
seen,  could  only  then  be  acceptable  when  the  wronged  party  had 
been  satisfied ;  and  the  other  offerings  were  either  brought  to  return 
thanks  in  public,  when  a  man  had  escaped  from  danger,  or  to  testify 
his  gratitude  for  benefits  received  from  the  Deity ;  and  the  national 
sacrifices  were  brought  in  the  name  of  all  Israel,  either  as  atone- 
ment for  sins  or  as  an  acknowledgment  of  national  gratitude. — All 
this  was  when  our  temple  yet  stood, — the  temple  called  by  God's 
name  ; — but  now  our  altar  lies  prostrate,  our  glorious  temple  exists 
no  longer — and  we  wander  about  without  priest,  without  sacrifice, 
without  incense — and  nought  is  left  us  but  the  words  of  our  mouth 
in  our  prayers,  and  the  study  of  the  law,  as  a  substitute  for  the  sacri- 
fices once  offered  up  before  God's  temple.  We  hope,  however,  that 
He  will  receive  our  prayers  graciously,  and  look  down  upon  our 
desolate  condition — upon  the  ruined  towers  of  Jerusalem — upon  the 
walls  of  the  temple  blackened  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy — and  have 
mercy  upon  the  dispersed  and  despised  remnant  of  Israel,  who  have 


THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS.  117 

for  so  many  centuries  suffered  the  just  burden  of  his  wrath,  and  the 
weight  of  his  chastisement.  May  He  then  speedily  gather  us  from 
all  the  countries  of  the  earth,  reinstate  us  in  our  land,  restore  Zion, 
and  cause  again  the  halls  of  the  temple  to  re-echo  with  our  songs  of 
thanksgiving  to  his  holy  name,  and  praise  to  Him,  for  his  unbound- 
ed mercy,  which  endureth  for  ever.     Amen ! 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS. 


If  we  have  heretofore  seen  our  legislator  careful  for  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  well-being  of  society  at  large,  weshall  now  see  him  giving 
and  enforcing  laws,  the  observance  of  which  will  give  every  individual 
of  the  community  bodily  health,  and  greatly  tend  to  his  self-preserva- 
tion ;  and  it  is  a  fact  not  to  be  denied,  that,  in  proportion  to  our 
numbre,  there  are  more  old  persons  amongst  us  than  amongst  any 
other  people. 

In  whatever  light  the  prohibition  of  unclean  animals,  the  blood 
and  fat  of  those  even,  the  meat  of  which  is  not  forbidden,  is  consi- 
dered, it  must  be  evident  that  the  abstaining  from  these  prohibited 
things  will  preserve  our  body  free  from  certain  diseases,  which  are 
many  times  engendered  by  the  immoderate,  nay  often  by  a  very 
moderate  use  of  them.  It  is  on  all  hands  admitted  that  the  eating 
of  swine's  flesh  will  occasion  leprosy  in  the  country  which  our  an- 
cestors inhabited ;  and  1  am  not  very  sure  but  that  its  use,  even  in 
colder  climates,  is  any  thing  but  wholesome  ;  but  I  must  leave  this 
point  to  be  settled  by  physicians,  who  are,  if  I  mistake  not,  yet 
uncertain  how  to  decide. — The  eating  of  blood  is  no  doubt  very  in- 
jurious, and  one  of  the  eastern  emperors,  I  think  one  of  the  Leos, 
issued  a  decree  prohibiting  it  in  his  dominions,  and  went  so  far  as 
to  endeavour  to  prove  its  pernicious  effect,  by  writing  himself  a  book 


X18  THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS. 

on  the  subject,  or  having  one  written  under  his  own  superintend- 
ence.—Moses*  also  prohibited  shell-fish,  snakes,  amphibious  ani- 
mals in  general ;  creeping  things  of  all  kinds,  and  those  fishes  which 
have  not  fins  and  scales ;  nay  many  quadrupeds  and  all  birds  of 
prey  were  also  interdicted  by  God  through  him ;  and  he  says : 
"  That  it  is  God's  intention,  that  we  should  be  a  holy  people,  and 
that  the  eating  of  forbidden  food  would  make  us  unclean,  and  of 
course  our  life  would  not  be  holy,  if  we  pollute  ourselves  by  what  is 
prohibited"  If  it  be  granted  even  that  the  eating  of  the  flesh  of 
the  swine  is  not  unwholesome  in  countries  where  the  climate  is  cold, 
(which  is,  however,  by  no  means  conceded,)  we  have  no  right  to 
permit  ourselves  to  eat  the  same  ;  for  our  law  does  not  lay  down  its 
unwholesomeness  as  a  reason,  but  gives  it  as  the  will  of  God,  that 
we  should  abstain  from  it ;  and  since  no  other  injurious  effect  is 
mentioned,  save  that  forbidden  things  will  contaminate  us,  what 
right  have  we  to  suppose  the  prohibitions  on  this  subject  repealed  ? 
— "  because  we  are  no  longer  in  Palestine  ;" — but,  should  not  the 
use  of  forbidden  things  make  us  as  much  unclean  here,  as  in  Pales- 
tine or  the  deserts  of  Arabia? 

But  if  we  even  waive  altogether  the  unwholesomeness  of  forbidden 
animals  as  a  reason  for  their  being  interdicted,  which,  as  said  al- 
ready, can  hardly  have  been  the  sole  motive  for  the  enactment 
under  discussion :  we  can  discover  a  cause  perfectly  consonant  with 
the  idea  we  entertain  of  the  goodness  of  the  Deity,  in  the  object 
which  He  always  had  in  giving  his  precepts — which  is,  the  moral 
perfection  of  ourselves.  He  wanted  to  train  us  up  in  obedience  and 
submission  to  his  will,  and  gave  us  therefore  various  enactments, 
which  tend  to  call  for  a  vigilance  over  our  inclinations,  and  demand 
a  constant  surveillance  over  our  conduct.  If,  then,  some  actions 
are  at  times  not  forbidden,  and  even  praiseworthy,  there  may  "be  cir- 
cumstances when  they  may  be  pernicious,  and  to  be  avoided.  In 
truth,  we  will  discover,  that  almost  for  every  act  permitted,  some- 
thing else  is  prohibited,  and  thus  the  whole  system  of  clean  and 
unclean,  of  permissions  and  interdictions,  may  be  referred  to  the 


*  The  reader  will  please  to  observe  that  whenever  the  terms  our  legislator 
enacted,  Moses  commanded,  and  others  of  like  tenor  are  employed,  they  mean 
nothing  else  than  that  God  commanded  through  our  legislator  or  Moses. 


THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS.  119 

grand  ulterior  reason  of  the  descent  on  Sinai,  to  raise  up  a  holy  peo- 
ple and  a  kingdom  of  priests. — As  a  further  illustration  of  this 
principle,  the  reader  will  please  to  reflect  on  the  following  exam- 
ples.— One  of  the  chief  subjects  in  the  law,  and  concerning  which 
we  have  many  regulations,  is  the  intercourse  between  the  sexes ;  it 
is  sin,  a  breach  of  moral  duty  to  seduce  any  female ;  but  it  is  not 
wrong  to  persuade  a  woman  to  marry  us,  and  thus  this  connection, 
which  in  the  one  instance  is  sinful,  becomes  in  the  other  lawful,  nay 
even  praiseworthy  and  necessary.  But  we  are  not  permitted  to  marry 
every  female ;  for  by  our  law  (see  several  passages  in  Leviticus  and 
other  places)  the  wife  of  another  man  is  prohibited,  as  are  also  cer- 
tain other  persons  who  are  connected  with  us  either  by  the  ties  of 
relationship,  as  sisters,  daughters,  aunts,  and  some  others ;  or  those 
who  are  connected  with  us  through  marriage  either  to  ourselves  or 
to  near  relatives,  as  our  wife's  mother  or  sisters,  our  father's  wife, 
and  others  mentioned  in  Leviticus ;  nay  at  certain  periods  our  own 
wives  are  prohibited.     And  so  heinous  were  such  illegal  marriages 
considered  by  God,  that  He  in  most  cases  made  them  punishable 
with  death,  both  to  the  man  and  the  woman  !  It  will  readily  be  con- 
fessed, that  the  permission  of  such  acts  would  be  ruirfous  to  the 
peace  of  families,  if  not  of  whole  societies,  and  that  they  have  been 
so,  even  to  the  latter,  can  be  easily  demonstrated  by  the  destruction 
of  the  greater  part  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  as  related  in  the  book  of 
Judges,  and  by  the  demolition  of  Troy .  It  is  unnecessary  to  search  for 
other  examples,  for  these  two  are  enough  already  to  prove  my  as- 
sertion.— There  is  yet,  however,  another  restriction  laid  upon  our 
inclinations  in  this  respect,  namely  that  we  are  not  to  marry  an  un- 
married woman,  though  unconnected  with  us,  if  she  does  not  belong 
to  the  descendants  of  Israel,  unless  she  take  previously,  from  no  love 
to  the  man,  but  sincere  affection  to  our  religion,  the  yoke  of  this  re- 
ligion freely  and  voluntarily  upon  herself.     The  same  is  the  case 
with  a  Jewish  female,  for  she  has  no  right  to  marry  any  man  who 
is  not  called  by  the  name  of  Israel.     (See  Deut.  vii.  and  Ezra,  and 
Malachi.) 

The  drinking  of  wine,  in  general,  was  not  interdicted ;  but  the 
priests,  when  they  were  about  to  commence  the  service  in  the  tem- 
ple, and  the  judges,  before  they  entered  upon  the  hearing  of  any 


120  THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS. 

case,  were  forbidden  to  taste  wine  or  other  spirituous  liquors.  (See 
Leviticus  x.) 

It  is  not  unlawful  to  wear  garments  of  linen  and  woollen,  when 
these  two  materials  are  unmixed ;  but  it  is  prohibited  to  wear  any 
garment  made  of  linen  and  woollen  mixed  together. 

A  murderer  after  he  had  been  tried  and  found  guilty,  was  to  be 
executed,  or  in  case  he  should  have  made  his  escape,  the  nearest 
relative  of  the  murdered  (the  avenger  of  the  blood)  was  permitted  to 
remove  the  monster  out  of  the  world.  It  was  nevertheless  strictly 
forbidden  to  touch  the  murderer,  although  wilful  murder  was  pun- 
ishable with  death  only,  before  he  had  been  tried  by  his  peers,*  (see 
Numbers  xxxv.  v.  12,)  no  matter  how  aggravated  or  enormous  his 
guilt  might  have  been. 

We  have  thus  seen  that  our  religion  is  intended  to  bridle  our  pas- 
sions and  restrain  our  desires ;  and  we  may  therefore  assign  this  as 
a  reason,  and  perhaps  as  the  only  probable  reason,  that  certain  kinds 
of  animal  food  were  interdicted.  God  allowed  us  a  great  number  of 
birds,  an  immense  number  of  fishes,  four  kinds  of  winged  insects, 
and  ten  kinds  of  four-footed  animals,  besides  all  wholesome  vegeta- 
bles. He  has  therefore  left  us  enough  for  our  support,  and  restricted 
us  at  the  same  time  from  the  other  quadrupeds,  birds,  fishes,  and 
insects,  to  bridle  our  desires  ;  and  we  are  therefore  to  abstain  from 
these  things,  because  it  is  the  will  of  God.  If  we  then  disregard 
this  precept,  and  transgress,  if  we  say,  "  what  difference  can  it  make 
to  God,  if  I  eat  the  meat  of  an  ox  or  a  swine,"  we  offend  against  his 
will,  we  pollute  ourselves,  by  what  goes  into  the  mouth,  and  can  con- 
sequently lay  no  longer  any  claim  to  holiness  ;  for  the  term  "  holi- 
ness," applied  to  mortals,  means  only,  a  framing  of  our  desires  by 
the  will  of  God,  by  that  rule  which  He  has  promulgated  as  the  stan- 
dard of  right ;  the  subduing  of  our  passions,  because  He  desires  it  ; 
and  lastly,  by  doing  as  much  good  to  all  mankind  as  lays  within  our 
power.  Does  not  then  the  strict  observance  of  our  law  demand  this 
small  sacrifice  at  our  hands?     Have  we  not  enough  to  eat  without 

*  I  have  introduced  this  modern  word  in  this  place,  because  the  whole  nation 
of  the  Israelites  were  equals,  and  no  one  had  a  superior  claim  to  honour  above 
the  other,  except  in  so  far  only,  as  he  was  the  better  and  more  useful  man ;  of 
course  there  could  be  no  aristocracy,  as  long  as  the  Israelites  adhered  strictly  to 
the  Mosaic  code. 


THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS.  121 

touching  forbidden  things  ?  Let  me  beseech  my  fellow-believers, 
not  to  deceive  themselves  by  saying,  "  there  is  no  sin  in  eating  of 
aught  that  lives ;"  on  the  contrary,  there  is  sin  and  contamination 
too. — Thus  God  tells  us — and  is  his  assertion  not  to  be  regarded  more 
than  the  dreams  of  pretended  prophets  or  the  sneers  of  unbelieving 
enemies  of  our  faith  ?  Let  the  Israelites,  if  they  love  their  religion, 
not  be  deterred  by  the  taunts  of  one  sect  or  the  sneers  of  the  other, 
and  let  them  only  persevere  and  conform  in  this  important  particular 
to  our  law,  and  when  asked  for  the  reason  of  their  abstinence  let 
them  refer  to  the  Pentateuch,  and  say  :  "  Here  is  our  warrant." 

Not  alone  in  regard  to  unwholesome  food,  but  also  in  other  res- 
pects, has  our  law  been  careful  of  our  personal  ease  and  safety. — 
Although  no  evil  can  betide  us  without  God's  sufferance,  we  yet  find 
that  he  commanded  us  (Deut.  chap,  xxii.)  :  "  To  make  a  railing  round 
the  roof  of  the  house,  that  no  one  might  fall  therefrom."  It  is  no 
doubt  well  known,  that  the  houses  in  Palestine  were  flat-roofed,  and 
that  people  frequently  went  up  there,  particularly  in  summer  eve- 
nings, and  they  often  spread  even  fruit  upon  them  to  dry,  nor  was 
it  very  uncommon  for  several  to  meet  in  the  Aliyah  for  discussion  or 
prayer.*  To  prevent  accidents  therefore,  which  might  otherwise 
have  easily  occurred,  the  above  commandment  was  given.  There 
are  many  similar  ordinances  in  the  Bible,  but  it  is  needless  to  tran- 
scribe them,  as  one  example  will  suffice  to  prove  the  extreme  care 
our  law  takes  of  the  welfare  of  every  individual  of  the  nation,  no 
matter  how  humble  his  station. 


It  is  well  known,  that  among  many  nations  it  is  customary  to  show 
the  most  extravagant  signs  of  grief  at  the  death  of  any  person  ;  they 
pull  out  their  hair,  tear  their  bodies  in  the  most  shocking  manner, 
and  show  other  fantastical  marks  of  outward  grief.  The  Romans 
employed  gladiators  even,  (i.  e. — men  trained  to  fight  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  this  enlightened  people,)  who  fought  till  one  or  both  were 
killed,  whenever  a  respectable  man  died.  This  fashion  was  carried 
to  such  a  cruel  extent,  that — if  I  do  not  altogether  err — on  more 

*  See  Mishna,  Shabbath  i.  4,  also  the  excellent  descriptive  novel,  Helon's  Pil- 
grimage to  Jerusalem,  where  the  reader  can  obtain  a  great  deal,  and  generally 
correct  information  with  regard  to  the  customs  and  mode  of  living  of  the  ancient 
Jews. 

16 


122  THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS. 

occasions  than  one,  a  hundred  of  these  miserable  beings  were  sacri- 
ficed to  the  manes  of  the  departed.  This  custom  was  horrible,  yes ! 
horrible  beyond  conception,  and  yet  the  most  refined  nations  of  an- 
tiquity, the  Greeks  and  Romans,  indulged  in  this  and  similar  prac- 
tices, and  a  man  like  Marcus  Tullius  Cicero  could  be  deluded  enough 
to  defend  them.  And  at  the  present  day,  as  has  been  mentioned  al- 
ready in  the  foregoing  chapter,  the  Indian  widows,  from  some  super- 
stitious notion  or  mistaken  principle  of  affection — it  is  needless  to 
determine  which — burn  themselves  upon  the  funeral  piles  of  their 
husbands.  Though  they  do  it,  for  the  most  part,  very  unwillingly, 
their  infatuation  is  nevertheless  so  great  that  they  do  not  even  ques- 
tion the  authority  of  their  priests  for  recommending  and  enforcing 
such  brutal  sacrifices.  The  most  horrid  scenes  are  frequently  ex- 
hibited at  these  suttees,  as  they  are  called,  and  to  the  shame  of  the 
local  government  be  it  spoken,*  they  seldom,  if  ever,  make  any  at- 
tempt to  rescue  the  poor  victims,  impelled  by  foolish  enthusiasm, 
from  the  ruffian  grasp  of  their  immolaters,  who,  during  the  lighting 
and  burning  of  the  pile,  make  a  terrible  and  deafening  noise  with 
drums  and  other  discordant  instruments,  to  drown  the  shrieks  of  the 
women  as  they  are  gradually  consumed,  and  this  very  often  under 
the  most  agonising  tortures  ! 

Not  so  is  Jacob's  portion  ;  thus  are  not  we  allowed  to  act.  We 
read  in  Deut.  chap.  xii.  "  that  we  are  children  to  our  God,  and  that 
we  are  not  permitted  to  pull  out  our  hair,  and  mar  our  bodies  at  the 

*  Since  writing-  the  above,  the  author  has  understood  that  hitherto  the  British 
government  would  not  interfere,  because  the  Hindoos  are  so  jealous  of  their  an- 
cient customs,  that  it  was  feared  that  the  abolition  of  this  practice  might  perhaps 
subvert  the  dominion  of  the  British  in  India.  This  may  have  been  in  some 
measure  an  excuse  for  the  government;  the  greater  cause  therefore  have  the 
friends  of  humanity  to  congratulate  themselves,  that  at  last  an  enlightened  and 
moral  ruler,  the  Lord  William  Bentick,  has  interdicted  the  burning  of  widows, 
and  he  deserves  the  greater  glory,  as  all  his  predecessors  were  too  much  deter- 
red by  real  or  imaginary  fears  from  engaging  in  the  cause  of  this  useful  reform. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  the  argument  in  the  text  is  not  in  the  least  weakened  by  the 
abolition  of  this  custom  attliislate  hour;  for  what  can  be  advanced  in  exculpa- 
tion of  the  Brahmins,  who  at  all  events  did  encourage  the  ignorant  females  of 
their  nation,  and  goad  them  on  by  visionary  hopes,  fears,  and  affections?  What 
can  be  said  of  the  holiness  of  any  institution,  which  produces  such  self-delusions? 
(May  20th,  1830.) 


THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS.  123 

death  of  any  one,"  much  less  to  murder  others  at  the  funeral  of  a 
friend  or  relative. — The  intention  of  this  commandment  is  probably 
this  :  Religion,  at  least  such  a  religion  as  it  is  our  fortune  to  possess, 
should  inspire  us  with  confidence  in  God,  and  an  acquiescence  in  his 
judgment,  and  soften  our  grief  so  much,  that  under  any  affliction,  we 
should  be  firm  and  resigned  enough  to  exclaim  with  the  holy  writer  : 
"  Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him  !"  The  severest  blows 
are  oftentimes  the  most  productive  of  happiness  in  their  consequen- 
ces, or  at  least,  that  which  wears  such  a  formidable  aspect,  as  almost 
to  cause  us  to  despond  altogether  at  first  sight,  loses  many  of  its 
terrors  when  nearer  viewed,  and  at  moments  when  we  have  become 
more  collected,  when  the  lapse  of  some  little  time  enables  us  to  take 
a  calm  survey  of  the  event  we  so  much  deplore.  Often,  to  the  most 
forlorn,  unexpected  help  arises,  and  the  gloom  of  despondency  is  full 
many  a  time  suddenly  dissipated  by  a  light  from  above,  as  bright  as 
the  instantaneous  meteor  in  a  dark  night,  but  as  lasting  and  benefi- 
cent as  the  light  of  the  sun.  Many,  no  doubt,  who  will  read  this, 
have  encountered  manifold  adversities,  some  of  them  have  perhaps 
seen,  in  early  youth,  a  near  connection  consigned  to  the  tomb,  others 
may  have  stood  weeping  at  the  bier  of  their  parents,  others  again 
may  have  been  left  destitute  orphans  without  a  protector ;  and  yet, 
have  they  not  all  of  them  experienced  that  there  is  never  a  wound 
inflicted,  without  a  healing  bajsam  being  sent  to  alleviate  the  pain  of 
the  sufferer  ?  Perhaps  the  orphan,  who  pronounced  at  his  father's 
grave  the  words  of  the  Psalmist :  "  My  father  and  mother  have  left 
me,"  may  have  also  had  occasion  to  express  his  gratitude  to  God  by 
exclaming :  "  but  the  Lord  has  taken  me  under  his  protection." 
Why  should  we  then  fear,  when  we  are  apparently  unfortunate? 
why  should  we  destroy  our  health,  or  deprive  ourselves  altogether 
of  life  1  if  the  very  circumstance  of  our  present  distress  may  redound 
to  our  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  advantage  ;  and  when  besides  we 
ought  always  to  bear  in  mind,  that  there  is  One  above  who  directs 
our  destiny.  We  have  a  beautiful  example  of  resignation  given  us 
in  the  Pentateuch :  Aaron  had  lost  his  two  eldest  sons  on  the  day 
they  were  installed  in  the  priestly  office ;  Moses  told  his  brother, 
that  God  had  informed  him  that  He  would  be  sanctified  through 
those  who  were  near  Him,  (i.  e. — the  otherwise  pious  men) ;  and 
Aaron  remained  silent,  and  in  obedience  to  the  divine  command,  he 


124  THE  FORBIDDEN  MEATS. 

suppressed  the  feelings  of  the  father,  conscious  that  the  punishment 
of  his  sons  for  their  one  transgression  would  act  as  a  salutary  admo- 
nition to  the  people,  who  would  thus  be  made  more  careful  in  their 
course  of  life,  seeing  that  the  very  pious  and  most  exalted  did  not 
escape  merited  punishment. — Like  Aaron's  grief,  therefore,  should 
our  grief  always  be,  silent  but  sincere ;  we  should  feel  the  weight  of 
God's  chastisement,  yet  know  how  to  bear — how  to  be  resigned  to 
his  wise  decrees.  "  You  are  the  children  of  the  Eternal,  your  God," 
the  father  punishes  not  his  son  in  anger,  with  unfeelingness — no,  he 
inflicts  slight  punishment  to  induce  him  to  mend  some  evil  habit,  or 
corrects  him  for  some  transgression  against  paternal  authority.  In 
the  same  light  should  we  view  whatever  the  Almighty  may  send  to 
us.  If  we  are  thankful  for  the  good  which  we  daily  and  hourly  re- 
ceive from  his  bounty,  we  ought  also  not  to  murmur,  when  evil 
befals  us ;  have  we  drunk  deep  of  the  cup  of  happiness,  let  us  not 
repine,  if  with  the  sweets  of  life  the  bitterness  of  wormwood  is  now 
and  then  mixed.  We  all  must  die ;  death  will  not  spare  the  most 
exalted,  the  most  beloved  objects ;  it  behoves  us,  therefore,  to  re- 
strain our  grief  from  becoming  too  violent ;  for,  in  the  first  place,  it 
would  be  injurious  to  our  health,  and  then,  it  would  manifest  a  dis- 
satisfaction with  God's  dispensation.  But  let  us  not  in  the  hour  of 
joy  be  too  much  elated,  nor  grow  careless  by  uninterrupted  success ; 
but  we  should  consider  how  soon  our  joy  may  be  turned  into  sorrow, 
and  how  speedily  our  smiles  may  be  chased  by  the  tears  of  anguish. 
Let  temporal  happiness  inspire  us  with  gratitude  to  God,  and  compas- 
sion for  mankind,  and  let  adversity  teach  us  resignation  to  God's  will, 
and  to  feel  for  another's  woe.  And  since  we  daily  see,  how  brief  all 
joys  are,  how  soon  life  may  terminate,  we  should  live  so  as  always  to 
be  prepared  for  death — so,  that  no  vice  may  disturb  our  dying  bed, 
and  we  be  ever  ready  to  return  our  soul  pure  and  unspotted  to  the  God 
who  gave  it — to  make  it  deserving  of  that  happiness  in  the  world  to 
come,  of  which  it  is  his  wish  that  we  all  should  participate.  (Deut. 
chap.  v.  v.  26.)  May  we  live  to  see  the  day  when  all  mankind  have 
become  virtuous  and  good,  and  all  are  willing  to  acknowledge  them- 
selves servants  of  the  Most  High,  and  to  worship  Him  in  truth  and 
sincerity.    Amen ! 


125 


CHAPTER  XX. 


THE    GOLDEN    CALF. 


We  have  thus  endeavoured  to  give  clear  and  convincing  arguments 
in  favour  of  the  beauty  and  necessity  of  that  part  of  our  law,  fre- 
quently denounced  as  superstitious. — With  how  much  injustice  this 
charge  has  been  made,  I  leave  every  candid  man  to  decide,  without 
even  attempting  to  enlist  his  feelings,  being  sure,  that  his  judgment 
must  be  in  favour  of  our  laws.  If  we  now  seriously  reflect  upon  the 
nature  of  our  religion,  it  must  be  admitted,  that  this,  our  religion, 
must  promote  devotion  to  God  and  peace  among  men.  Can  any 
thing  more  be  asked,  that  these  laws  should  effect  ? — That  they  were 
often  violated  by  the  very  persons  to  whom  they  were  given,  we 
dare  not  even  attempt  to  deny,  for  Moses  himself  has  left  us  un- 
doubted evidence  of  the  fact.  We  shall  therefore  be  met  by  the 
following  objection :  "  If  it  be  true  that  the  Israelites  received  the 
law  from  God,  in  the  manner  related  by  Moses,  how  did  it  happen, 
that  they  so  often  transgressed  and  acted  so  contrary  to  that  system, 
which  is  in  fact  so  very  beautiful  ?" 

It  is  lamentable,  but  not  the  less  true,  that  few  men  are  taught 
wisdom  by  experience,  and  that  the  number  of  those  is  smaller  still 
who  are  made  good  by  mere  precept  alone,  though  their  teacher  be 
the  wisest  and  most  exalted.  Even  at  the  present  day  we  generally 
find,  that  many  a  man,  when  in  trouble,  will  promise  any  thing  and 
every  thing  to  be  forgiven  for  the  wrong  he  has  done ;  but  no 
sooner  is  he  out  of  trouble,  no  sooner  is  he  pardoned,  than  he  again 
commences  his  old  career,  and  commits  anew  the  same  follies  which 
have  occasioned  him  so  much  distress.  This  is  the  conduct  from 
one  man  to  the  other,  whom  he,  perhaps,  may  hope  to  deceive  by 
outward  appearances  of  reformation  ;  yet  even  towards  our  Maker 
do  we  often  act  thus.  In  trouble,  at  the  death  of  a  friend  or  re- 
lative, we  suddenly  grow  wonderfully  pious,  we  seem  strangely 
reformed,  we  view  our  former  course  of  life  with  real  or  affected 


126  THE  GOLDEN  CALF. 

horror,  as  sinful  and  unbecoming  mortals,  who  receive  all  they  pos- 
sess from  God,  and  we  determine  to  do  better  for  the  future.  When 
the  impression,  however,  is  once  weakened  by  time,  when  forgetful- 
ness  has  taken  off  a  little  from  the  keen  edge  of  our  grief:  we  are 
our  former  selves  again — God  is  forgotten — his  law  neglected 
— and  our  calamities  are  scarcely  remembered — we  make  merry  at 
what  we  then  call  trifles,  and  often  pretend  to  be  surprised  at  our 
own  folly,  for  having  been  weak  enough  to  be  affected  by  occur- 
rences, which  were,  to  make  the  most  of  them,  but  natural. 

Is  not  this  a  true  picture  of  the  conduct  of  most  men?  Where, 
in  fact,  is  that  man  to  be  found,  who  is  alivays  mindful  of  passing 
events,  and  regulates  his  life  by  them  1 

Just  so  were  our  ancestors.  They  had  been  slaves  in  Egypt, 
their  redemption  was  sudden,  and  we  may  say  would  have  been  un- 
expected at  the  moment  it  took  place,  if  they  had  not  been  previous- 
ly prepared  for  it  by  the  plagues  which  befel  their  oppressors. 
After  their  redemption,  we  have  seen  that  the  law  was  given  to 
them,  and  its  precepts  were  contrary  to  almost  every  thing  they  had 
been  accustomed  to  in  Egypt.  There  was  besides  an  immense 
number  of  persons  in  the  camp,  who  were  not  Jews,  (Exod.  chap.  xii. 
v.  38,)  and  whom  we  afterwards  find  (Numb.  chap.  xi.  v.  4,)  not  alone 
murmuring  themselves,  but  exciting  the  Israelites  also  to  rebellion. 
After  the  promulgation  of  the  ten  commandments  Moses  re-ascended 
the  mount,  and  staid  there  forty  days  and  nights.  The  people,  par- 
ticularly the  strangers,  were  not  yet  used  to  the  rule  of  the  divine 
law  :  they  could  yet  hardly  understand  how  God  could  be  worship- 
ped without  symbolic  idols,  altars,  sacrifices  and  priests  ;  for  idols 
had  been  interdicted,  and  they  had  not  yet  heard  in  what  manner 
the  sacrifices  were  to  be  offered,  what  kind  of  place  for  the  worship 
of  God  they  were  to  have  ;  and  as  yet  the  first-born  of  the  families 
were  the  priests,  according  to  patriarchal  custom.  All  this  was 
new  and  strange  to  them,  and  when  they  saw  that  Moses  staid  out 
longer  than  they  expected,  they  became  restive,  and  were  probably 
afraid,  as  we  may  infer  from  their  address  to  Aaron,  that  he  had 
died  upon  Sinai ;  being  therefore  now  without  a  leader,  they  desired 
a  symbol  of  God,  which  might  be  carried  before  them  as  their  en- 
sign of  war,  for  so  it  is  said  :  "  Rise,  make  us  gods,  which  shall  go 
before  us."     It  is  said  in  tradition,  that  they  applied  first  to  Hur, 


THE  GOLDEN  CALF.  127 

who,  together  with  Aaron,  had  been  left  as  governors  during  Moses's 
absence  ;  he,  however,  refused,  and  was  immediately  slain  by  the 
infuriated  mob.  They  then  came  to  Aaron,  who  did  all  in  his  power 
to  procure  delay ;  he  demanded  the  ear-rings  and  other  ornaments 
of  the  women  and  children,  hoping  that  they  might  refuse  to  part 
with  them.  But  the  men  fearing  delay,  or  perhaps  discovering 
Aaron's  unwillingness  to  obey  them,  immediately  gave  him  their  own 
ornaments.  Aaron  saw  now  no  means  but  to  comply  with  their  de- 
mands, and  at  last  a  golden  calf  was  made  under  his  auspices.  The 
calf,  as  is  well  known,  was  the  deity  of  Egypt,  and  it  is  very  proba- 
ble that  Aaron  chose  this  image  to  remind  his  brethren  how  ineffec- 
tual the  Egyptian  gods  had  been  to  save  their  worshippers  from 
destruction.  But  as  soon  as  the  strangers*  who  were  Egyptians^ 
saw  their  old  god,  they  exclaimed  to  the  Israelites :  "  These  are 
thy  gods,  oh  Israel,  which  have  brought  thee  out  from  Egypt !" 
When  men  are  once  wavering,  it  is  but  a  slight  £tep  to  apostacy  ; 


*  This  explanation  of  the  thirty-second  chapter  of  Exodus  may  seem  very 
strange  to  those  who  have  never  heard  it ;  but,  in  the  first  place,  let  it  be  consi- 
dered, that  Hur  is  never  mentioned  after  this  event,  though  he  must  have  been 
an  intimate  friend  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  he  being  first  with  Moses  and  Aaron 
on  the  hill  during  the  battle  with  Amalake  ;  and  next  he  and  Aaron  were  ap- 
pointed judges  during  Moses's  absence. — In  the  second  place,  the  address 
"  These  are  thy  gods,  &c."  can  not  possibly  have  originated  with  the  Israelites 
themselves,  which,  if  it  were  the  case,  could  not  be  reconciled  to  the  language 
of  the  text ;  we  must,  therefore,  conclude  that  this  address  was  held  by  the 
strangers,  who  had  followed  our  ancestors  from  Egypt.  The  probable  meaning 
of  these  words  is  this  :  "  You  Israelites  have,  till  this  moment,  thought  that  it 
w  as  a  new,  unheard  of  God — the  Eternal — who  had  redeemed  you  from  slavery ; 
but  think  no  longer  so — it  was  Osiris,  Isis,  Apis,  and  the  other  gods  of  Egypt, 
who  were  your  redeemers.  They  were  incensed  at  the  injustice  done  to  you ; 
and  the  punishment  inflicted  upon  the  Egyptians  was  their  work ;  they  gave 
you  food  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  as  for  the  law  given  from  Sinai — that  whole 
affair  was  a  contrivance  of  Moses  himself.  But  see,  here  is  your  god,  and  is  not 
his  image  good  evidence  of  the  fact,  that  he  has  come  to  resume  his  rule  over 
you  ;  you — who  have  so  long  lived  in  the  land  where  he  is  worshipped  ?" — I  do 
not  know  that  this  opinion  agrees  with  that  of  any  other  commentator ;  but  I 
do  not  wish  to  force  my  opinion  upon  any  one,  I  just  give  it  as  it  occurred  to 
me  while  writing,  and  if  it  be  erroneous,  let  my  readers  reject  it ;  only  let  them 
not  think  me  presumptuous,  nor  the  explanation  absurd,  for  it  is  founded  upon 
the  plain  and  literal  translation  of  the  Hebrew  words. 


128  THE  GOLDEN  CALF. 

once  dissolve  the  bond  by  which  we  are  bound,  and  we  rush  head- 
P'long  forward,  without  once  looking  to  see  in  what  direction  we  pro* 
ceed.  Just  so  was  it  with  a  part  of  our  ancestors  ;  I  say  a  part,  for 
all  did  not  sin  :  they  had  begun  to  doubt  the  truth  of  Moses's  mission 
on  account  of  his  absence,  and  no  sooner,  therefore,  had  they  an  ex- 
cuse for  deviating  from  their  duty,  than  they  followed  the  way  of 
error,  and  instead  of  adoring  the  all-powerful  God,  they  worshipped 
"  the  image  of  a.  grass -eating  o.t."  Aaron  did  not  long  remain  un- 
conscious of  the  fatal  error  he  had  committed  in  not  sacrificing 
himself  to  their  resentment,  rather  than  yield  to  the  unreasonable 
demands  of  the  Israelites  and  strangers.  He  therefore  built  an  altar 
before  the  calf,  and  exclaimed  aloud  before  the  assembled  people  : 
"  To-morrow  is  a  feast  in  honour  of  the  Eternal."  The  meaning 
can  easily  be  discovered  to  be  :  "  Do  not,  my  deluded  brethren, 
imagine  that  this  calf  is  God,  or  a  symbol  of  God,  for  He  has  told 
you  that  he  is  not  to  be  represented  by  any  living  thing ;  by  aught 
either  in  the  heavens,  the  earth,  or  the  water.  Apis,  Osiris,  and 
the  other  idols  you  saw  worshipped  in  Egypt,  are  not  gods ;  for,  if 
by  them  are  understood  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  and  the  creatures 
around  you,  then  they  are  the  creatures  of  our  God,  and  ought,  for 
this  reason,  not  to  be  worshipped,  for  worship  is  due  to  the  Creator 
alone.  But,  if  they  are  supposed  to  be  independent  deities,  and  pos- 
sessing power  of  themselves,  then  they  have  no  existence  at  all,  for 
nothing  exists  that  is  not  derived  from  the  God  we  adore.  Wait 
therefore  my  brethern,  and  act  not  with  precipitancy ;  wait  until  to- 
morrow, perhaps  our  beloved  Moses  may  return,  and  to-morrow  then 
shall  be  a  day  of  feasting  in  honour  of  the  Eternal  our  God,  who  is 
your  King,  Protector,  and  Redeemer,  and  whom  alone  you  ought  to 
worship !" 

It  often  happens  that  good  advice  is  not  listened  to,  if  men  are 
predetermined  to  do  wrong ;  and  the  same  was  the  case  with  the 
Israelites.  For  they  rose  early  on  the  following  morning,  and  per- 
formed their  unholy  rites  round  the  statue  of  the  calf,  and  showed,  by 
this  conduct,  how  little  they  had  corrected  the  evil  habits  they  had 
contracted  in  Egypt ;  and  gave  a  warning  to  all  how  dangerous  bad 
company  and  bad  example  are,  particularly  to  young  persons,  before 
their  character  is  well  formed. 

While  they  had  yet  scarcely  time  to  commence  their  horrid 


THE  GOLDEN  CALF.  129 

dance,  Moses  received  the  two  tables  of  the  covenant  from  the  Most 
High,  who  then  also  told  him  that  the  Israelites  had  so  soon  depart- 
ed from  the  way  which  He  had  pointed  out  to  them.  Moses,  being 
bidden,  descended  from  the  mount,  and  at  its  foot  he  met  his  trusty- 
servant  Joshua,  who  had  remained  there  ever  since  he  had  been 
upon  Sinai.  The  mount  yet  blazed  (Deut.  chap,  ix.)  when  Moses 
returned  to  the  camp  with  the  tables  in  his  hand,  but  he  threw  them 
down  and  broke  them  at  the  foot  of  Sinai,  as  soon  as  he  had  arrived 
at  the  camp,  and  had  seen  "  the  calf  and  the  dancing."  For  he 
argued  :  the  uncircumcised  is  not  even  permitted  to  taste  the  pass- 
over-lamb,  and  thus  he  is  disabled  on  account  of  the  non-fulfilment 
of  one  commandment  only  from  being  in  every  respect  a  true  Israel- 
ite ;  and  can  this  people,  who  have  in  a  measure  all  become  idola- 
ters, be  worthy  of  the  whole  law  and  those  statutes,  more  dear  than 
gold,  and  more  costly  than  pearls  ? 

But  not  in  vain  reproofs  did  Moses  idle  away  the  time  which  was 
of  necessity  to  be  devoted  to  action.  The  man  of  God  stood  in  the 
gate  of  the  camp,  and  exclaimed  :  "  Who  is  for  the  Eternal  come 
to  me  !"  and  they  came,  who  had  not  forsaken  their  God,  namely, 
the  children  of  Levi ;  and  they  proved  on  that  day  their  adherence 
to  God  at  the  risk  of  their  lives.  The  small  number  of  the  Levites 
is  well  known ;  they  were,  in  fact,  the  smallest  tribe  of  Israel ;  yet 
did  they  singly  brave  the  immense  numbers  of  the  other  tribes,  not  to 
reckon  the  strange  mob  mixed  with  them.  But  the  Levites  did 
not  regard  numbers — they  heeded  not  the  ties  of  friendship,  it  was 
enough  for  them  to  know  that  on  that  day — so  was  the  will  of  their 
God — they  should  strike  for  the  glory  of  his  holy  name,  and  three 
thousand  idolaters  fell  before  the  swords,  which  had  never  been  un- 
sheathed in  vain.  From  this  day,  however,  they  became  con- 
secrated to  the  service  of  their  God,  and  war  was  no  longer  to  be 
their  trade.  The  sword  of  destruction  was  henceforward  taken  out 
of  their  hands,  and  the  book  of  the  holy  and  life-giving  law  was  put 
there  in  its  stead  :  the  teaching  of  this  book,  the  attendance  at  the 
sacrifices,  and  the  service  at  the  temple,  were  entrusted  to  the  Le- 
vites, as  a  reward  for  the  willingness  which  they  showed  in  the 
execution  of  a  duty  at  all  times  painful  to  the  heart  that  feels,  and 
to  the  mind  that  is  conscious  of  its  own  imperfections. 

"  But  was  not  Moses's  order  to  slay  the  idolaters  cruel  and  unne- 
17 


130  THE  GOLDEN  CALF. 

cessary  ?" — That  three  thousand  is  a  large  number  we  are  ready  to 
confess  ;  but  we  assert  that  it  was  not  cruel,  and  that  the  destruction 
of  this  large  number  was  called  for  by  the  most  imperious  necessity. 
Hitherto,  it  will  be  perceived,  no  punishment  had  been  inflicted  upon 
the  Israelites,  though  they  had  frequently  deserved  it ;  because  God 
had  compassion  for  their  weakness,  and  He  pardoned  them  accord- 
ing to  his  great  mercy.  But  when  they  had,  at  the  time  we  are 
speaking  of,  altogether  thrown  off  the  yoke  which  they  had  volunta- 
rily accepted  to  bear,  it  became  absolutely  necessary  to  teach  them 
by  acts,  but  not  words,  that  on  no  account  could  the  second  com- 
mandment be  transgressed  with  impunity ;  and  they  were  made  to 
feel  that  God,  who  is  kind  and  delays  his  anger  a  long  while,  is  sure 
to  punish  every  disobedience  against  his  will.  And  since  it  had 
thus  become  necessary  to  punish,  was  it  not  proper  that  all  those 
who  had  been  equally  guilty  and  active  in  crime  should  be  equally 
punished? — They,  also,  received  a  practical  lesson,  that  a  handful 
of  men,  when  protected  by  God,  are  more  powerful  than  great 
armies ;  as  the  Levites,  confiding  in  God,  overcame  multitudes,  who 
had  but  just  chosen  Apis  as  their  god,  who  was  unable  to  save  them 
from  the  sword  of  the  servants  of  the  Eternal. 

To  prove  more  fully  to  the  Israelites  the  utter  weakness  of  their 
idol,  Moses  reduced  the  whole  to  powder,  which  he  mixed  with 
water,  and  gave  it  them  to  drink. — When  idolatry  had  thus  been 
eradicated  in  one  day,  Moses  announced  that  he  would  go  again 
upon  the  mount  Sinai,  to  pray  to  God,  and  ask  forgiveness  for  their 
transgression. — He  did  go,  and  remained  there  forty  days  and  forty 
nights,  without  food  or  drink,  and  lived  happy  in  receiving  the  word 
of  God,  and  in  obtaining  the  pardon  of  the  erring  Israelites.  Though 
he  was  told  that  their  destruction  should  be  the  means  of  his  eleva- 
tion, yet  did  he  not  desire  greatness  for  himself  which  must  have 
been  attended  by  the  destruction  of  others;  and  he  asked  to  be  blot- 
ted out  of  the  book  which  God  had  written,  (i.  e.  Moses  offered  him- 
self as  a  sacrifice,  even  so  far  that  his  name  might  be  altogether 
forgotten,)  only  that  the  Israelites  might  be  preserved  and  forgiven. 
But  God  would  not  accept  Moses  as  a  sacrifice,  thus  teaching  the 
world  that  one  man  can  never  be  sacrificed,  that  any  other  man  or 
even  a  whole  community  might  escape  without  'punishment,  but  the 
sinning  person  himself,  and  none  other  in  his  stead,  is  to  die.    (See 


THE  GOLDEN  CALF.  131 

Exod.  chap,  xxxii.)  Although  God  would  not  forgive  the  Israelites, 
and  punish  his  messenger  in  place  of  them,  He  nevertheless  pardoned 
them  upon  Moses's  intercession ;  but  He  also  made  known  to  them, 
that  all  ornaments  must  be  laid  aside,  that  those  things  which  had  in- 
duced  them  to  sin  should  be  no  longer  a  temptation  in  their  way 
to  make  them  swerve  from  their  adherence  to  God  a  second  time. 
The  people  mourned,  and  obeyed  the  commandment,  and  showed  us 
by  so  doing,  that  whenever  we  wish  to  repent  seriously,  we  must  ab- 
stract ourselves  as  much  as  possible  from  the  affairs  of  this  world 
and  its  allurements,  and  place  before  ourselves  in  the  strongest  light 
the  power  of  God,  his  kindness,  and  his  mercy. 

Moses  was  after  this  ordered  to  prepare  two  tables  like  those  he 
had  broken ;  he  therefore  descended  from  Sinai,  and  made  them  as 
he  had  been  commanded.  He  again  ascended,  and  staid  a  third  time 
forty  days  and  nights  upon  the  mount ;  at  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  returned  to  the  camp  and  deposited  the  tables,  which  were 
inscribed  with  the  Decalogue,  in  a  wooden  ark.  (Deut.  x.) 

Moses  now  made  known  to  the  Israelites,  that  he  had  received  the 
commands  of  God  to  build  Him  a  temple,  where  He  should  be  wor- 
shipped, and  that  the  expenses  of  the  building  were  to  be  defrayed 
by  voluntary  contributions.  The  people  had  now  an  opportunity  of 
showing  if  they  had  truly  repented  of  their  former  folly — and  they 
did  prove  their  sincerity  ;  whatever  was  wanting,  gold,  silver,  pre- 
cious stones,  in  short  all  which  had  been  demanded  was  cheerfully 
given,  and  even  more  than  was  actually  needed  was  brought  to  the 
workmen,  so  that  at  length  Moses  was  obliged  to  proclaim:  "  That 
no  one  should  bring  any  more  contributions  for  the  service  of  the 
holy  tabernacle." — The  workmen,  who  were  selected  from  all  Israel, 
and  had  knowledge  to  do  all  kinds  of  work  for  the  holy  service, 
made  all  things  necessary  exactly  after  the  model  which  God  had 
shown  to  Moses ;  and  when  all  was  finished  they  received  the  bless- 
ing of  their  great  teacher,  who  wished  them  the  grace  of  God  and 
his  future  protection  !  Moses  then  set  up  the  tabernacle,  and  the 
glory  of  God  filled  it,  and  the  pillar  of  light  shone  upon  it  brightly 
every  night ;  and  the  admiring  Israelites  were  thus  convinced  that 
God  was  amongst  them  continually,  to  protect  them,  and  to  shield 
them  from  all  danger. 

As  the  Israelites  were  drawing  near  the  land  of  their  destination, 


]  32  THE  GOLDEN  CALF. 

they  desired  that  spies  should  be  sent,  to  see  which  road  they  ought 
to  take,  and  what  cities  they  should  come  to.  The  spies  were  sent, 
but  like  other  travellers,  ten  out  of  twelve  (the  number  sent)  magni- 
fied real  dangers,  and  invented  others  which  had  no  existence.  The 
whole  congregation  rose  in  rebellion  against  the  messenger  and  the 
anointed  of  the  Lord  ;  and  the  mob  would  have  attempted  to  stone 
them  but  for  the  timely  interference  of  Caleb  and  Joshua,  two  of 
the  spies. — All  lamented  the  fate  that  awaited  them ;  they  feared  to 
enter  the  land  which  had  been  promised  them  as  an  inheritance, 
and  they  proposed  returning  to  Egypt,  where  they  had  been  slaves. 
This  conduct  was  highly  offensive  to  the  Deity,  who,  in  consequence, 
bid  Moses  to  tell  the  people,  that  all  over  the  age  of  twenty  should 
die  in  the  wilderness,  where  they  should  wander  for  forty  years  ;  but 
that  their  children,  or  all  those  under  twenty  years  old,  should  enter 
the  land,  which  had  been  promised  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  ; 
and  that  farther  they  should  not  advance  against  their  enemies,  but 
return  towards  the  Red  Sea. — O  strange  inconsistency  !  as  soon  as 
they  had  heard  their  doom,  and  the  injunction  to  return,  and  after 
ten  of  the  spies  had  died,  they  were  all  willing  to  go,  and  even  tu- 
multuously  demanded  to  be  led  forward.  In  vain  did  Moses  entreat 
them  to  desist,  for  that  they  would  be  surely  beaten  by  their  ene- 
mies ;  they,  however,  did  go  forward,  and  suffered  what  Moses  had 
foretold.  They  wandered  then  for  forty  years,  sustained  solely  by 
the  providence  of  God  ;  and  thus  was  a  people  raised  up,  free  from  all 
admixture  of  evil,  for  all  the  bad  men  died  by  degrees,  as  related 
in  the  fourth  book  of  Moses ;  and  those  whom  Joshua  led  over 
the  Jordan  were  all  worthy  of  being  the  people  of  that  God  in 
whose  name  they  went  forward  against  their  enemies,  and  by  whose 
aid  they  obtained  possession  of  their  inheritance. 


I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  to  explain  every  one  of  the  rebel- 
lious actions  of  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness ;  but  I  just  extracted 
these  two  to  show  that  the  unwillingness  of  our  ancestors  to  obey 
the  will  of  their  God  does  not  prove  that  He  never  revealed  himself  to 
them  ;  and  I  hope  that  it  has  been  clearly  demonstrated,  that  their 
rebellious  disposition  may  have  been  altogether  owing  to  the  weak- 
ness of  human  nature  ;  and  secondly,  to  the  peculiar  circumstances 
under   which   they  found   themselves.     Besides,  it  must  be   well 


TflE  GOLDEN  CALF.  133 

remembered,  that  our  law  was  not  given  to  us  to  force  our  compli- 
ance ;  far  from  it, — God  gave  us  the  laws,  known  as  the  Mosaic,  as 
a  rule  to  regulate  ourselves  by  in  our  intercourse  with  one  another, 
and  for  our  conduct  towards  Him ;  and  we  have  seen  that  He  made 
his  will  known  to  us  with  a  view  to  teach  us  how  to  distinguish  be- 
tween right  and  wrong,  because  our  reason,  unaided,  does  not  guide 
us  correctly,  But  having  once  pointed  out  "  what  is  right"  and 
"  what  is  wrong,1'  He  gave  us  the  choice,  either  to  obey  his  will, 
which  is  "  to  do  good,"  or  to  disobey  it,  which  is  "  to  do  evil." 
(Deut.  chap,  xxx.)  He,  however,  at  the  same  time  tells  us  the  con- 
sequences of  our  choosing  the  one  or  the  other ;  namely,  that  by 
obedience  to  his  will  we  shall  be  made  happy — by  disobedience  un- 
happy; or  rather,  in  the  words  of  the  holy  book,  we  have  the  choice 
between  doing  good  and  live,  and  doing  evil  and  die.  God  advises 
us,  however,  to  choose  "  life,"  for  it  is  more  pleasing  to  Him  to 
reward  the  virtuous  than  punish  the  wicked.  (See  above,  commen- 
tary on  the  Decal.  chap,  xiii.)  Then,  again,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  all  the  laws,  as  has  been  already  said,  were  no  less  new 
to  the  Israelites  than  to  any  other  nation ;  and  it  took,  therefore,  in 
the  natural  course  of  things,  some  considerable  time  to  make  them 
perfectly  acquainted  with  the  divine  ordinances.  If  Moses  now  had 
not  recorded  their  frequent  apostacies,  but  had  only  given  the  his- 
tory of  a  people,  all  the  time  they  were  under  his  guidance,  acting 
obediently  to  God,  and  with  deference  towards  himself,  we  should 
have  been  very  much  inclined  to  doubt  the  veracity  of  the  narrative, 
for  then  some  wiseacre  might  have  said  with  some  show  of  reason  : 
"  It  is  impossible  that  among  three  millions  of  people  there  should 
arise  no  dissatisfaction  with  a  self-constituted  ruler,  who  was  one  of 
their  number,  and  had  therefore  no  right  to  command  his  equals. 
He  had,  besides,  promised  them  to  bring  them  to  a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey;  but,  instead  of  doing  this,  he  keeps  them  for  the  space 
of  forty  years  in  a  frightful  wilderness,  where  not  even  fresh  water  is  to 
be  found."  Such  a  nation  of  saints  indeed  would  with  justice  have 
been  considered  an  improbability,  not  to  say  an  impossibility,  unless  we 
should  believe  that  their  nature  had  been  changed  !  This,  however, 
would  virtually- have  changed  their  freedom  of  action,  and  of  course 
such  a  hypothesis  is  utterly  fallacious,  it  being  not  only  contrary  to 
revelation,  but  also  to  common  reason. — The  Israelites  had  been  so 


134  THE  GOLDEN  CALF. 

long  slaves  under  idolatrous  masters,  that  they  were  not  altogether 
Ifree  from  the  influence  of  the  Egyptians  amongst  them ;  and  as 
Moses  had  been  absent  a  long  while,  they  became  alarmed,  and  they 
required  another  leader  in  the  place  of  Moses,  whom  they  either 
supposed  dead,  or  what  is  worse,  that  having  once  attained  his 
object  by  depriving  the  king  of  Egypt,  who  was  his  personal 
enemy,  of  their  services,  he  had  left  them  to  their  fate,  under  a  pre- 
tence of  going  to  receive  new  laws  for  their  government,  finding 
himself  unable  to  keep  the  promises  he  had  made  them.  We  have 
seen  with  how  much  cunning  the  designing  strangers  took  advan- 
tage of  this  feeling  among  the  Israelites,  and  the  consequent  apos- 
tacy  of  the  latter,  the  adherence  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  to  God,  and  the 
subsequent  punishment  of  the  idolaters.  From  this  affair,  and  the 
other  murmurings  and  backslidings  of  the  Israelites,  it  will  appear 
that  Moses  conceals  nothing  that  happened  to  him  and  the  people 
under  his  charge ;  he  also  tells  us  that  his  government  was  not  ac- 
quiesced in  by  all,  but  that  he  was  perpetually  assailed  by  riotous 
meetings,  and  grieved  very  frequently  by  the  obstinacy  of  a  people 
to  whom  he  was  so  devoted  as  to  offer  his  own  life  a  sacrifice  for 
their  welfare.  We  have  thus  the  strongest  evidence  of  the  truth  of 
what  he  says  regarding  the  history  of  the  Israelites,  since  he  is  at 
no  pains  to  conceal  any  thing  which  might  induce  some  to  believe 
that  this  dissatisfaction  was  deserved  by  him. — To  sum  up  the  whole 
in  a  few  words  :  human  nature  was  not  changed  ;  propensities  to  err 
were  not  removed ;  and  although  the  Israelites  had  a  rule  to  go  by, 
yet  could  they  not  so  soon  forget  old  and  deep-rooted  habits ;  force, 
therefore,  and  persuasion,  were  both  necessary  to  make  them  re- 
member the  new  law  ;  and  thus  were  we  already  very  early  taught 
by  practical  lessons,  "  that  no  good  goes  unrewarded,  and  no  evil 
unpunished." 

I  do  not  wish  to  palliate  the  sins  of  our  forefathers,  but  only  to 
show  that  their  sinning  is  no  evidence  that  they  did  not  receive  the. 
law ;  besides,  let  it  be  considered,  that  although  they  sinned,  their 
transgressions  were  not  more  numerous  than  those  of  the  best  men 
living  at  any  time  and  in  any  country,  if  we  take  into  consideration 
the  length  of  time  of  which  Moses  speaks,  and  their  former  state  ; 
and  though  no  such  crimes,  as  they  were  guilty  of,  may  be  now 
committed,  let  it  be  observed,  that  the  world  has  many  other  failings 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  135 

which  our  ancestors  had  not ;  further,  that  the  sins  of  the  fathers, 
tended  greatly  to  confirm  the  children  more  strongly  in  the  law  of 
God,  since  they  saw  how  much  evil  springs  from  disobedience,  and 
how  many  blessings  flow  from  a  cheerful  submission  to  the  will  of 
God! 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 


If  we  carefully  examine  the  biblical  records,  we  shall  discover  that 
prophets  were  not  alone  found  amongst  the  Israelites,  but  also 
amongst  other  nations,  previous  to  Moses,  and  during  his  lifetime. 
We  find  two  mentioned,  namely,  Job*  and  Balaam,  who  were  sent 

*  It  is  the  generally  received  opinion  among  the  Rabbins,  that  Job  died  dur- 
ing Moses's  lifetime ;  at  any  rate,  it  is  acknowledged  by  all,  that  this  patriarch 
lived  in  a  very  remote  age,  and  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  make  an  enquiry  in 
this  place,  if  his  death  occurred  at  the  time  the  Rabbins  say  it  did,  which  is  at 
all  events  very  probable. — Let  me  here  once  for  all  remark,  that  I  am  really 
astonished  at  the  presumption  of  antiquaries,  who,  no  natter  with  how  little 
reason,  set  gravely  about  to  determine  the  time  and  mode  of  every  thing  in  his- 
tory ;  they  affirm  things  as  true  upon  the  most  frivolous  data,  and  upon  equally 
trivial  grounds  reject  all  which  they  do  not  wish  to  believe,  and  thus  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  that  they  so  often  arrive  at  conclusions  the  very  reverse  of 
truth.  And  no  class  of  writers  have  been  more  abused  by  this  class  of  reasoners, 
than  our  sacred  writers  and  Rabbins. — Having  said  thus  much,  I  shall  resume 
the  subject  which  I  intended  to  explain. — I  have  said  that  the  opinions  of  the 
Rabbins  concerning  the  time  of  Job's  death  is  very  plausible,  and  as  there  is 
certainly  no  positive  proof  against  this  tradition,  we  Jews  will  continue  to  think 
it  true,  till  we  see  some  more  conclusive  reasoning  against  its  probability,  than 
the  unsupported  assertion  of  any  man.  If  we  then  assume  it  as  true,  that  Job 
died  at  the  time  mentioned,  it  follows  :  that  the  light  of  revelation  was  not  yet 
extinct,  though  the  patriarchs,  to  whom  this  revelation  was  first  given,  had  long 
past  away.    We  find  Job  bringing  sacrifices  in  honour  of  God,  fearing,  that  his 


136  INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

as  messengers,  at  least  in  so  far,  as  to  make  the  will  of  God  known 
to  those  who  were  immediately  about  them  ;  and  others,  as  Abime- 
lech  and  Laban,  who  received  prophecy  for  their  own  guidance. 
(See  Gen.  chap.  xx.  v.  3,  and  ibid.  chap.  xxxi.  v.  24.) 

Not  all  the  prophets  received  their  mission  in  the  same  manner, 
nor  had  they  all  an  equal  degree  of  knowledge  of  divine  things  and 
of  sanctity,  if  the  frequency  of  inspiration  be  taken  as  the  test. — We 
generally  find  that  when  the  spirit  of  prophecy  came  over  a  man,  he 
could  not  remain  standing,  but  fell  involuntarily  down,  as  Abraham, 
Ezekiel,  and  Balaam.  Most  of  the  prophets  prophesied  only  once, 
or  when  there  was  any  urgent  necessity  of  making  something  known 
to  the  people,  leader,  judge,  or  king ,'  of  the  first,  we  can  cite  as  a 
remarkable  instance  the  seventy  elders  in  Numbers,  chap,  xi.,  and 
of  the  second,  the  many  prophets  mentioned  in  Kings  will  serve  as 
an  illustration. — Moses,  Samuel,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and  Ezekiel  have 
left  us  accounts  of  their  first  appointment  to  the  dignity  of  prophets, 
and  from  their  histories  we  can  learn  what  kind  of  men  were  thus 
honoured  by  their  Maker ;  they  were  all,  namely,  men  of  unim- 
peachable morality  and  virtue,  and  ready  to  fulfil  the  object  of  their 
mission  at  whatever  personal  risk  to  themselves  ;  with  the  exception 

children  had,  in  the  moment  of  conviviality,  been  forgetful  of  God's  mercy  and 
blasphemed  Him  in  their  hearts.  Job  lived  in  a  district  of  Idumea,  and  his  close 
contiguity  to  the  Canaanites  must  lead  us  to  the  conclusion,  that  they  were  neither 
ignorant  of  Job's  person  nor  of  his  mode  of  life,  and  they  therefore  must  have 
known  too,  that  their  abominable  conduct  was  displeasing  to  the  God  whom 
Job  worshipped. 

I  deemed  this  necessary  to  defend  the  Israelites  against  the  charge  of  having 
murdered  the  nations  of  Palestine,  who  are  said  to  have  been  ignorant  of  the 
will  of  God.  It  will  however  not  be  disputed,  that  they  had  some  knowledge, 
not  alone  of  the  patriarchal  revelation,  but  also  of  the  Exodus  and  the  promul- 
gation of  the  law  from  Sinai;  yet  did  they  persevere  in  their  course  of  life,  and 
they  were  for  this  reason  alone  doomed  to  destruction.  (See  Deut.  chap.  ix.  v.  5.) 
God  sent  the  Israelites  to  drive  them  out  and  take  possession  of  their  land.  But 
our  ancestors,  after  they  had  subdued  or  driven  out  the  Canaanites,  imitated 
their  example;  they  too  were  therefore  nearly  all  destroyed,  and  the  remainder 
driven  into  captivity ;  for,  as  they  did  that  for  which  their  predecessors  had 
suffered,  they  were  no  longer  permitted  to  inhabit  the  land  which  had  been  given 
them,  because  of  the  iniquity  of  these  predecessors ;  and  thus  we  see  that  re- 
tributive justice  will  reach  nations  no  less  than  individuals,  and  this  wc  are 
taught  throughout  all  the  prophetic  books. 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  137 

of  Balaam,  who,  though  probably  not  virtuous,  was  yet  gifted  witl^,. 
prophecy,  and  this  must  teach  us,  as  well  as  many  other  acts  of  th$  " 
Deity,  that  our  reason  is  not  capable  of  understanding  all. 

In  investigating  the  prophetic  histories,  or  what  is  the  same,  all  the 
books  of  the  Jewish  canon ,  it  will  be  discovered  that  inspiration  was  of 
two  different  kinds :  the  one  was  inspiration  proper,  and  the  other 
prophecy.  The  inspired  man,  or  one  endowed  with  the  holy  spirit 
ISHpn  nn  whilst  speaking  or  writing,  was  he,  who  wrote  or  spoke  by 
himself  (but  not  to  others)  what  he  felt  within  himself  to  be  the  will 
and  word  of  God  ;  or  one  who  wrote  down  what  had  happened  be- 
fore him,  or  was  to  happen  after  him,  as  it  was  made  known  to  him 
by  a  knowledge  superior  to  that  with  which  he  was  generally  en- 
dowed. Inspired  writers  of  this  kind  are  David,  Solomon,  Daniel, 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  All  these  men,  as  will  be  seen,  were  never 
sent  out  to  communicate  to  others  what  had  been  imparted  to  them ; 
but  they  wrote  down  or  spoke  as  to  themselves  what  they  felt  con- 
vinced to  be  that  wisdom  and  that  knowledge,  which  their  God  had 
revealed  to  them.  Thus  David  said :  "  The  spirit  of  the  Lord 
spoke  within  me,  and  his  word  was  upon  my  tongue."  (See  2  Sam. 
chap,  xxiii.  v.  2.)  If  we  now  wish  to  determine  what  is  holy  spirit 
or  inspiration,  we  must  say  :  It  is  the  endowment  of  superior  know- 
ledge proceeding  from  God  as  a  special  gift  to  the  person  so  gifted, 
which  inspiration  compels  him  to  write  and  speak  only  what  is,  was, 
or  will  be  true,  and  prevents  him  from  committing  any  error  in  the 
facts  he  relates  as  happening,  past,  or  coming,  because  his  know- 
ledge ranges  over  events  and  circumstances,  and  the  nature  of  both, 
as  if  they  pass  in  review  before  him  ;  or,  in  other  words,  a  man 
truly  inspired  can  commit  no  error,  but  must  speak  the  truth. 

A  man  endowed  with  prophecy,  on  the  contrary,  was  a  messenger 
sent  to  tell  to  others  the  will  of  God  ;  he  was  therefore  not  permitted 
to  keep  any  thing  imparted  to  him  a  secret,  but  he  was  to  go  forth 
to  the  nation  and  communicate  to  them  either  the  good  or  the  evil 
message,  which  had  been  entrusted  to  him.  (See  also,  1  Sam.  chap, 
iii.  v.  17,  where  we  read,  that  Samuel  concealed  nothing  that  God 
had  told  him  from  Eli,  who  had  even  required  this  frankness  from 
the  young  prophet.)  We  must,  according  to  this  definition,  call 
Moses,  Isaiah,  Joel  and  others,  prophets,  since  they  were  messen- 
gers sent  to  speak.  The  prophet,  like  the  inspired  writer,  could 
18 


138  INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

not  err,  for  it  is  impossible  to  think  that  God,  who  sent  him  to  speak 
a  particular  message  in  his  name,  should  not  have  imparted  to  him 
the  truth. 

Some  of  the  prophets  had  power  to  work  miracles,  these  were 
chiefly  Moses,  Elijah,  and  Elisha,  who  were  the  most  favoured  of 
mortals,  even  so  far,  that  Elijah  never  tasted  the  cup  of  death,  but 
was  translated  by  a  whirlwind  into  heaven.  (2  Kings,  chap,  ii.) 
But  let  no  man  think  that  any  undue  partiality  was  shown  to  these 
men,  for  they  were  the  most  virtuous  that  ever  lived,  and  as  such 
they  were  entitled  to,  and  did  receive  the  highest  favours. — The 
miracles  wrought  by  them  demonstrated  also,  that  no  matter  how 
great  the  miracle  is,  it  entitles  not  the  man,  through  whose  agency  it 
is  performed,  to  receive  adoration  or  reverence,  other  than  should 
be  shown  to  a  man  noted  for  his  virtue  and  favour  with  God.  For 
what  could  be  more  extraordinary  than  Moses  drawing  water  out  of 
a  hard  rock,  or  Elijah,  Elisha,  and  Ezekiel  reviving  the  dead  1  But 
neither  they,  nor  the  people  before  whom  these  miracles  were  ex- 
hibited, ever  thought  that  they  proceeded  from  any  inherent  power 
in  those  prophets ;  and  when  Elijah  had  been  answered  with  fire 
from  heaven,  (1  Kings  chap,  xviii.  v.  39,)  all  the  people  cried  out : 
"  The  Eternal  is  the  God,  the  Eternal  is  the  God  !"  Thus  we  see, 
that  the  miracles  of  the  prophets  were  only  considered  as  a  con- 
firmation of  their  prophecy,  and  it  was  well  understood,  that  the  per- 
former of  miracles  was  only  the  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God,  and 
therefore  the  three  aforementioned  prophets  could  not  claim  any 
merit  in  bringing  the  dead  to  life  again,  for  any  other  man  might 
have  done  the  same,  if  he  had  received  the  commission  to  do  so. 

Properly  speaking,  we  had  no  oracles,  but  all  the  predictions 
amongst  us  were  the  word  of  God,  only  made  known  in  different 
ways.  The  nature  of  inspiration  and  prophecy  has  been  already 
explained,  and  I  shall  now  give  an  account  of  the  Urim  and  Thu- 
mini,  which  served  as  a  guide  to  our  ancestors.  According  to  the 
generally  received  opinion  among  us,  the  Urim  and  Thumim  was  a 
holy  name  written  by  Moses  and  placed  by  him  between  the  folds  of 
the  breast-plate,  one  of  the  robes  of  the  high-priest.  All  the  letters 
of  the  Hebrew  alphabet  were  engraved  upon  the  stones  of  this  plate, 
and  when  any  question  was  to  be  answered,  (upon  the  requisition  of 
the  chief  judge  or  the  leader  of  the  people,)  the  priest  looked  upon 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  139 

the  breast-plate,  and  which  ever  letter  he  saw  shining  forth  he  bore 
in  mind,  and  did  so  with  every  other  one  as  it  shone,  and  when  ndfc 
other  reflected  light,  he  was  convinced  that  the  answer  was  com- 
plete. To  make  this  obscure  description  more  intelligible,  1  will 
introduce  an  example  from  the  commencement  of  the  book  of 
Judges.  It  there  says,  that  the  Israelites,  after  the  death  of  Joshua, 
enquired  which  of  the  tribes  should  go  out  first  to  attack  the  enemy  ; 
to  which  question  they  received  a  reply :  "  Judah  shall  go,"  Heb. 
nSjr  mirr  :  the  priest  saw  the  }  shining,  then  n,  and  so  on,  till  he 
had  seen  in  succession  the  nine  letters  composing  these  two  words, 
which  combined  in  the  order  they  appeared,  made  out  the  reply 
asked  for.  Though  this  reply  was  very  brief,  it  was  nevertheless 
all  that  was  necessary,  it  being  concise  and  explicit ;  there  was  no 
room  left  for  a  doubt  or  to  put  a  double  construction  upon  this  reply, 
as  was  invariably  the  case  with  oracles  invented  and  conducted  by 
men.  Let  us  for  instance  take  the  celebrated  answer  the  Atheni- 
ans received,  when  they  were  threatened  with  an  invasion  by  the 
Persian  Xerxes.  They  were  told  to  defend  themselves  behind 
wooden  walls.  This  oracle,  as  it  stood,  had  certainly  no  other  mean- 
ing, than  that  the  Athenians  were  lost,  as  apparently  there  was  no 
more  safety  for  them,  than  for  a  man  who  would  endeavour  to  shelter 
himself  behind  a  wooden  wall,  when  attacked  by  an  immense  host 
well  provided  with  instruments  of  attack.  But  Themistocles  ad- 
vised his  townsmen  to  seek  safety  on  board  of  their  fleet,  and  do 
thus  what  the  oracle  demanded  of  them  to  do.  They  did  so,  and 
the  victory  of  Salamis  was  the  fruit  of  this  wise  counsel. — But  can 
any  man  imagine,  that  in  case  the  Athenians  had  been  defeated,  the 
priests  of  Delphi  had  no  door  by  which  to  escape  ;  or  to  speak  more 
plainly,  that  they  would  not  have  been  able  to  interpret  their  pre- 
diction so  as  to  suit  the  event  ? 

A  similar  duplicity  in  oracle-reply  we  find  in  the  book  of  Judges. 
The  notorious  Micah  had  made  himself  an  image  and  oracle,  and 
appointed  a  young  Levite  to  be  his  priest.  Some  men  of  the  tribe 
of  Dan  came  by  accident  to  the  house,  and  when  they  asked  the 
priest:  "  If  the  oracle  could  tell  them  if  their  journey  would  be  pros- 
perous," he  answered  them :  "  Go  in  peace,  the  way  you  go  is  roJ 
the  Eternal."  The  word  roj  means  here  ostensibly* — agreeable  to  ; 
*  See  the  commentary  of  Rabbi  Solomon  Yarchi,  on  this  passage. 


140  INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

but  it  also  means  before,  "known,  laid  open,  and  the  phrase  therefore, 
may  mean  :  "  Go  in  peace,  the  way  you  go  is  known  to  the  Lord," 
and  by  implication  not  to  this  idol ;  true,  the  men  were  successful, 
but  if  they  had  been  otherwise,  he  could  not  with  propriety  have 
been  called  a  liar,  since  he  had  said  nothing  positive,  and  in  fact  he 
could  not  have  chosen  any  word  so  well  adapted  to  his  purpose  of 
mystifying,  as  this  nDJ,  he  so  adroitly  used. 

This  may  seem  to  some  an  unnecessary  digression,  but  in  fact  it 
is  not.  Attempts  have  been  often  made  to  call  the  Urim  and  Thu- 
mim  oracles,  and  some  go  even  so  far  as  to  give  this  name  to  the 
altars  or  other  monuments,  on  which  particular  passages  of  Scripture 
had  been  inscribed. — I  should  have  no  particular  objection  to  the 
word  oraculum  itself,  which  means — first,  a  place  where  divine  an- 
swers were  obtained,  and  secondly,  the  divine  answer  itself,  though 
even  this  would  not  exactly  express  the  nature  of  the  Urim  and  Thu- 
mim,  as  we  have  explained  it  above.  But  no  Jew,  who  is  alive  to  his 
national  honour,  can  suffer  an  idea  to  be  entertained,  that  our  mode 
of  obtaining  the  decision  and  the  knowledge  of  the  will  of  God  had 
any  thing  in  common  with  the  oracles  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  ; 
one  was  by  the  positive  command  of  God — the  others  were  by  the 
jugglery  of  priests  and  madmen ; — one  was  always  clear  and  deci- 
sive, and  the  event  never  belied  the  prediction — the  others  were 
always  ambiguous  and  uncertain,  and  no  more  dependence  could  be 
placed  upon  them,  than  upon  the  divinations  of  gypsies  and  fortune- 
tellers of  the  present  time. 

It  will  be  evident  from  the  foregoing  definitions,  that  inspiration, 
prophecy,  and  decision  through  the  Urim  and  Thumim,  were  equally 
infallible,  or  whatever  was  announced  in  either  of  the  three  modes 
was  of  necessity  true.  But  if  it  should  have  been  discovered,  that 
any  prediction  did  not  correspond  with  the  event,  it  must  have  been 
clear,  that  this  prediction  was  not  made  by  inspiration,  but  was  an 
invention  of  the  pretended  prophet. 

In  Deuteronomy,  chap,  xviii.  will  be  found  a  prohibition  of  all  su- 
perstitious enquiries  into  futurity ;  we  should,  namely,  not  consider 
one  time  more  propitious  or  lucky  than  the  other  ;  should  not  con- 
sult the  dead  ;  nor  make  use  of  conjuration,  or  any  other  species  of 
fraud  and  deception,  which  was  resorted  to  in  ancient  or  modern 
times.      If  the  power  of  witchcraft  be  real  or  pretended  is  unneces- 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  141 

sary  to  be  determined  here  ;  for  if  it  be  real,  its  practice  is  no  less 
contrary  to  our  law,  than  if  it  be  but  pretended.  It  is  also  quite 
immaterial,  whether  this  power  was  practised,  or  even  possessed  only, 
at  any  time  since  the  creation ;  it  is  enough  for  us  to  know,  that  it  was 
prohibited,  and  the  pretender  to  witchcraft,  necromancy,  or  the  like 
practices  was  punishable  with  death.  The  object  of  our  law  in  in- 
terdicting all  superstitious  customs,  which  were  current  amongst  all 
the  nations  of  antiquity,  and  are  yet  practised  amongst  most  of  the 
barbarous  communities  of  the  present  day,  was,  as  Moses  says : 
"  That  we  should  be  perfect  with  the  Eternal  our  God."  The  word 
rendered  "  perfect"  is  in  Hebrew  D'Dn,  which  is  used  to  express 
any  thing  entire,  complete,  without  blemish,  simple ;  its  meaning  in 
this  place  is  therefore  :  our  confidence  in  God  should  be  entire,  we 
should  simply  put  our  trust  in  his  protection,  and  always  hope,  that 
as  He  directs  our  destinies  as  we  deserve,  that  only  will  happen 
which  is  good  and  redounding  to  our  advantage ;  we  are,  for  this 
reason,  forbidden  to  dive  any  further  in  futurity  than  God  himself 
chooses  to  reveal  to  us. — Moses  therefore  proceeds  in  his  discourse 
(Deut.  chap,  xviii.  v.  14,) : 

"  For  these  nations,  which  thou  shalt  drive  out,  are  accustomed 
to  listen  to  observers  of  time  and  diviners,  but  thou  hast  not  received 
the  like  for  thyself  from  the  Lord  thy  God.  A  prophet,  from 
amongst  thee,  from  thy  brethren,  like  myself,  the  Lord  thy  God  will 
raise  up  unto  thee,  to  him  you  shall  hearken."  (Pay  attention  to  his 
words.)  "  Just  as  thou  hast  asked  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  Horeb, 
on  the  day  of  the  assembly,  when  thou  spokest,  «  1  wish  not  further 
to  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord  my  God,  nor  see  any  more  the  great 
fire,  that  I  may  not  die ;'  and  the  Lord  then  said  unto  me,  «  They 
have  acted  properly  in  what  they  said ;  I  will  raise  up  unto  them  a 
prophet  from  amongst  their  brethren,  like  thyself,  and  I  will  put  my 
words  in  his  mouth,  and  he  shall  speak  to  them  all  which  I  shall 
command  him.  And  it  shall  happen,  that  I  will  punish  every  man, 
who  will  not  hearken  to  my  words,  which  he'  (the  prophet)  '  shall 
speak  in  my  name.  But  that  prophet  who  shall  be  wicked  enough 
to  speak  any  thing  in  my  name,  which  I  have  not  commanded  him 
to  speak,  or  who  shall  speak  in  the  name  of  false  gods,  shall  die.' 
And  if  thou  shouldst  say  in  thy  heart :  '  How  can  we  know  the 
word,  which  the  Lord  has  not  spoken  ?'     That,  which  the  prophet 


142  INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

speaks  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  it  happen  not,  nor  come  to 
pass,  this  is  what  the  L^rd  has  not  spoken,  wickedly  has  the  pro- 
phet spoken  it,  thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  of  him."  (Meaning :  do  not 
think  that  you  will  do  the  least  wrong  in  removing  him  from  amongst 
you  by  killing  him,  for  he  richly  deserves  his  fate,  for  attempting  to 
deceive  his  brethren.) 

We  have  here  before  us  the  method  by  which  the  truth  of  prophecy 
can  be  tested.  As  from  a  negative  we  generally  can  infer  the  posi- 
tive, we  may  conclude  in  what  true  prophecy  consists  from  the 
foregoing  extract.  It  is  necessary :  first,  that  the  prophet  announce 
his  prohecy,  or  what  is  the  same,  his  mission,  as  proceeding  from 
the  Eternal  Lord  our  God,  who  revealed  himself  to  Moses ;  and 
secondly,  that  the  event  correspond  exactly  with  the  prediction.  But 
if  a  man  pretending  to  inspiration  should  presume  to  speak  in  the 
name  of  idols,  as  for  instance,  he  come  with  a  message  from  Jupiter 
or  any  other  personage  or  thing,  existing  or  not  existing,  which  re- 
ceives, or  is  intended  to  receive,  honours  due  only  to  God ;  or  if  he 
say  such  a  thing  shall  happen  at  such  a  time,  and  it  does  not  happen 
at  the  time  specified ;  or  if  he  predict  a  thing,  the  contrary  of  which 
should  come  to  pass ;  or  if  he  speak  against  any  one  commandment 
of  the  Mosaic  law,  (this  being  once  laid  down  as  the  irrevocable  will 
of  God) :  such  a  man  must  be  considered  as  a  false  prophet ;  that, 
which  he  gives  out  as  prophecy,  is  an  invention  of  his  own,  and  it 
is  wickedness  in  him  to  presume  to  palm  upon  the  world  his  own 
ideas  as  the  will  and  word  of  God. 

If  we  take  this  passage  in  connection  with  what  is  commanded 
concerning  any  one,  who  should  advise  the  people  or  individuals  to  act 
contrary  to  the  law  (Deut.  chap.  xiii.  v.  1 — 12):  it  will  appear 
that  no  miracle  or  sign  can  be  taken  as  evidence  of  the  truth  of  any 
prophecy,  which  should  be  contradictory  in  any  one  particular  to  the 
laws  given  us  through  Moses.  For  in  the  first  verse  we  are  directed 
to  observe  every  commandment  laid  down  by  Moses,  and  are  forbid- 
den to  add  or  take  any  away,  and  in  the  fifth  verse  we  read: 
"  After  the  Lord  your  God  you  shall  walk,  and  Him  you  shall  fear, 
and  his  commandments  you  shall  observe,  and  to  his  voice  you  shall 
hearken,  and  Him  you  shall  serve,  and  to  Him  you  shall  adhere." 
These  commandments  speak  too  plainly  to  be  misunderstood  ;  that 
every  precept  of  the  law  is  binding  and  will  be  ever  binding ;  and  it 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  143 

must  follow  of  course,  that  not  one  of  them  will  be  abrogated,  nor 
any  other  thing  substituted,  for  any,  even  the  smallest,  precept  con- 
tained in  the  Pentateuch.  We  are  therefore  told,  that  if  any  man 
should  even  perform  a  miracle,  as  an  evidence  of  his  mission,  when 
this  mission  contains  aught  in  opposition  to  the  letter  and  spirit  of 
the  law,  he  must  be  considered  as  a  false  prophet,  or  in  other  words, 
that  which  he  tells  us  must  be  looked  upon  as  an  invention  of  his 
own,  and  that  therefore  the  miracle  performed,  or  the  sign  given,  is 
no  proof  of  the  truth  of  his  assertion.  For  if  it  were  possible  that 
any  commandment  could  be  abrogated  at  any  time,  it  must  follow, 
that  what  is  right  to-day,  can  be  wrong  to-morrow— or,  that  God  did 
not  know,  when  He  gave  the  first  commandments,  what  was  right — 
or,  that  He  is  changeable  in  his  disposition,  and  alters  the  law  to 
suit  his  caprice — all  such  hypotheses  are  rank  blasphemy,  and  can 
not  be  entertained  by  any  man,  who  is  duly  impressed  with  the 
wisdom  and  grandeur  of  God  ;  for,  as  the  Psalmist  and  Balaam  say : 
"  God  is  not  a  man,  that  He  should  speak  falsely !" 

Prophecy  now,  to  be  true,  must  be  in  every  respect  agreeable  to 
the  precepts  of  the  Mosaic  law  ;  if,  therefore,  a  man  comes  forward 
and  proclaims  his  mission,  produces  proof  of  its  truth,  and  speaks 
altogether  in  confirmation  of  and  according  to  the  Pentateuch,  he 
must  be  believed,  and  to  disbelieve  him  would  be  sin  ;  but  for  which 
the  person  refusing  to  believe  is  not  to  be  punished,  on  any  account, 
by  an  earthly  tribunal,  being  accountable  to  God  alone.  And 
since  we  are  once  upon  the  subject,  I  will  just  remark,  that  no  man 
could  be  punished  by  a  court  of  justice  for  opinions  which  he  held, 
till  he  had  proved  these,  his  sinful  opinions,  by  an  overt  act ;  for  in- 
stance, the  worship  of  idols,  disobedience  to  the  decision  of  the  San- 
hedrin,  or  any  ony  other  wilful  transgression  of  the  precepts  of  the 
law ;  and  the  maxim  of  our  law  is  :  for  opinions  we  are  answerable  to 
God  alone — for  our  actions  to  men  also.  If,  however,  a  man  should 
be  convicted  of  having  spoken  as  a  prophet  contrary  to  the  law,  he  has 
committed  a  crime  against  the  well-being  of  society,  and  he  is  pun- 
ishable with  death  by  a  court  of  justice,  although  he  has  performed 
miracles,  for  miracles  are  no  evidence  whatever  of  the  truth  of  any 
man's  mission,  if  no  other  proof  of  his  being  a  prophet  be  produced* 

"  In  what  manner  is  prophecy  to  be  verified,  if  miracles  are  no 
confirmation  ?"     To  answer  this  question  it  is  only  necessary  to 


144  INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

consult  three  out  of  the  many  passages  on  this  subject  in  the  Bible  : 
namely,  Numbers,  chap.  xvi.  v.  28 ;  1  Kings,  chap.  xxii.  v.  28,  and 
Jeremiah,  chap,  xxviii.  v.  16.  From  these  passages  it  clearly  fol- 
lows, that  the  accomplishment  of  the  predictions  is  the  only  proof 
of  their  truth  ;  and  it  matters  not  if  the  accomplishment  be  a  miracle 
or  a  mere  natural  event,  provided  it  take  place  at  the  time  [and  in 
the  manner  specified,  and  the  prophecy  be  in  confirmation  (as  we 
have  seen  it  must  be)  of  the  precepts  contained  in  our  law. 

1.  We  read  in  Numbers,  chap.  xvi.  v.  28  :  "  And  Moses  said,  by 
this  you  shall  know  that  the  Eternal  has  sent  me  to  do  all  these 
things,  and  that  they  proceeded  not  from  my  own  mind.  If  these 
men  die  a  death  similar  to  that  of  all  men,  and  the  fate  of  all  mor- 
tals overtake  them,  then  the  Lord  has  not  sent  me.  But  if  the  Lord 
create  a  new  thing,  and  the  earth  open  its  mouth,  and  swallow  them 
up,  with  all  that  belongs  to  them,  and  they  go  down  alive  to  their 
graves,  then  you  will  know  that  these  men  have  incensed  the  Lord" 
Here  Moses  proposed  a  test  of  his  mission,  by  saying,  that  the 
destruction,  nay,  the  instantaneous  destruction  of  the  rebels  should 
be  a  confirmation  of  his  course  being  dictated  by  God ;  but  that 
if,  on  the  contrary,  they  should  die  a  natural  death,  every  one 
should  judge  him  to  have  acted  without  authority,  and  that  his  whole 
course  had  been  a  series  of  frauds  and  deceptions. — Mark  the  confi- 
dence of  the  prophet !  He  could  not,  in  a  natural  way,  have  known 
that  the  earth  would  be  rent  asunder  the  moment  he  left  off  speak- 
ing ;  for  though  such  a  thing  happens  now  and  then  during  an  earth- 
quake, I  do  not  remember  to  have  read  any  instance,  where  a 
chasm  was  produced,  at  a  moment's  warning,  upon  the  requisition 
of  any  man,  and  closed  again  in  a  few  moments  after,  when  it  had 
effected  the  purpose  of  its  formation. — But  no  sooner  had  Moses 
proposed  the  test  than  the  men,  whose  names  are  mentioned  in  the 
sixteenth  chapter  of  Numbers,  were  swallowed  up,  the  chasm  closed 
over  them,  and  they  were  lost  from  among  the  midst  of  the  assem- 
bly, and  no  other  man  was  injured,  save  those  designated  by  the 
prophet.  Although  Moses  himself  is  the  narrator  of  this  event, 
there  is  yet  every  reason  to  believe  his  account ;  for  just  before  he 
died  we  find  him  reminding  the  people  of  what  had  been  done  to 
Dathan  and  Abiram,  and  again  detailing  the  event  in  a  few  but  for- 
cible words.  (Deut.  chap.  xi.  v.  6.)  Does  now  any  man  believe  that 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  145 

Moses  could  have  been  audacious  enough  to  remind  the  people  of 
any  event  said  to  have  occurred  before  their  eyes,  if  really  such  an 
event  had  never  taken  place  ?  Is  it  reasonable  to  suppose  that  all 
would  not  have  exclaimed  :  "  We  know  of  no  such  thing"  ? — But  we 
have  other  evidence  to  prove  that  this  event  was  believed  and  gene- 
rally accredited  long  after  Moses's  death  r*for  we  find  in  the  106th 
psalm,  verse  16th  and  17th  :  "  And  they  envied  Moses  in  the  camp, 
also  Aaron,  who  was  consecrated  tS  the  Eternal ;  the  earth  opened 
and  swallowed  Dathan  and  covered  Abiram's  band."  The  other 
events  enumerated  in  this  psalm  were  then  and  are  even  now  too 
well  known  to  be  doubted  ;  and  could  the  Psalmist  have  inserted  a 
fabulous  account  amongst  historical  facts  1 

2.  In  the  twenty-second  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Kings  we 
find  an  account  of  the  expedition  of  the  kings  of  Judah  and  Israel 
against  Ramoth,  then  occupied  by  the  Syrians.  Previous  to  their 
leaving  Shomerone  (Samaria)  we  read  that  many  false  prophets 
encouraged  Ahab  to  go,  promising  him  success  and  a  prosperous 
return.  Yehoshaphat,  however,  the  king  of  Judah,  although  he 
was  found  in  company  with  the  most  inveterate  idolater,  was  sin- 
cerely pious ;  and  hearing  four  hundred  men  all  using  the  same  lan- 
guage, he  could  not  believe  them  inspired,  for  there  is  no  example  to 
be  found  where  two  prophets  ever  used  precisely  the  same  words, 
although  they  announced  the  same  message  ;  for  inspiration  taught 
them  only  to  speak  nothing  but  what  was  true,  but  never  compelled 
them  to  use  language  different  from  what  they  were  accustomed  to ; 
— hence  the  difference  in  the  style  of  the  prophets.  Yehoshaphat 
for  this  reason  asked :  "  If  there  were  no  prophet  of  the  Eternal  (in 
opposition  to  the  four  hundred  of  Baal)  of  whom  they  might  enquire  ?" 
And  there  was  one — one  who  braved  the  idolater  Ahab,  despite  of 
his  being  king  and  capable  of  injuring  him ;  but  he  was  in  prison  by 
the  commands  of  Ahab  ;  as  Yehoshaphat,  however,  desired  to  see 
him,  he  was  brought  in  the  presence  of  the  two  kings.  It  is  unne- 
cessary to  transcribe  the  whole  account  of  Micaiah's  prophecy,  as 
every  one,  who  may  wish  to  know. it,  can  find  it  in  the  chapter  re- 
ferred to — Ahab  was  very  angry  when  he  heard  the  prophet  pre- 
dicting his  death  in  battle ;  he  ordered  him,  therefore,  to  be  kept  in 
close  confinement,  and  at  hard  diet,  until  he  should  come  back  in 
peace ;  whereupon  the  prophet  said  (v.  28.)  :  "  If  thou  return  at  all 
19 


146  INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

in  peace,  the  Eternal  has  not  spoken  through  me ;"  and  he  added  : 
"  Hear  it,  all  nations  !"  thus  calling  upon  the  whole  world  to  bear  wit- 
ness, that  in  case  Ahab  should  be  killed  in  battle,  (which  in  fact  did 
happen,)  that  then,  and  then  only,  would  he  be  considered  a  true 
prophet ;  but  if  the  king  should  return  unhurt,  then  would  he  will- 
ingly forfeit  all  his  claim  to  that  name. — Micaiah,  in  all  probability, 
was  not  the  author  of  his  own  history  ;  and  of  course  it  must  have 
been  recorded  by  some  other  person,  that  he  predicted  the  death  of 
Ahab  in  the  manner  related  above  ;  and  if  it  had  been  untrue,  it 
could  never  have  been  admitted  into  our  historical  writings,  since 
such  a  remarkable  event,  as  the  death  of  a  king  in  battle,  must  have 
been  a  matter  well  known  to  all  the  Israelites ;  the  more  so,  as 
chronicles  were  kept,  in  which  every  occurrence  of  importance  was 
immediately  recorded  ;  and  could  any  man  have  palmed  upon  the 
people  a  fictitious  narrative,  the  falsity  of  which  might  have  been 
proven  by  a  mere  reference  to  the  records  of  state  1 

3.  In  Jeremiah,  chap,  xxviii.  we,  read,  that  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Hananiah,  pretending  to  have  been  inspired,  limited  the  time  of 
seventy  years,  foretold  by  Jeremiah,  as  the  duration  of  the  Baby- 
lonian captivity,  falsely  to  two  years  only.  In  an  address  of  Jere- 
miah to  the  people  and  Hananiah  he  said :  "  When  the  word  of  the 
prophet  who  prophesies  peace  comes  to  pass,  then  it  will  be  known 
what  prophet  the  Eternal  has  sent  in  truth."  (v.  9th.)  To  prove  fur- 
ther the  fallacy  of  Hananiah's  prophecy,  Jeremiah  announced  to  him  : 
"  That  he  should  die  in  the  course  of  the  year,  as  a  punishment  for  the 
deception  he  practised  by  his  pretended  mission  ;"  and  Hananiah  did 
die  before  the  expiration  of  the  year.  (v.  17.) — It  is  utterly  impossi- 
ble to  suppose  that  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  was  written  after 
Hananiah's  death,  and  that  in  consequence  the  pretended  prophecy 
was  indited  after  the  event,  or  what  is  the  same,  that  the  prophecy 
was  never  given.  Let  us  but  reflect  that  the  whole  affair  took  place 
before  a  large  concourse  of  people,  some  of  whom  must  have  been 
alive  in  Ezra's  time,  and  able  to  decide  if  Jeremiah's  account  was 
true  or  not ;  but  since  his  book  was  universally  received  as  canonical 
by  those  who  returned  from  the  Babylonian  captivity,  we  are  com- 
pelled to  come  to  the  conclusion  that  every  thing  happened  as  Jere- 
miah himself  relates  it.  If  any  other  proof  were  wanting,  it  could 
be  drawn  from  the  duration  of  the  captivity.     Jeremiah  himself  did 


INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY.  147 

not  live  to  see  the  restoration,  for  he  died  in  Egypt  long  before  that 
time.  Now  it  appears  clearly  from  Ezra,  that  just  at  the  expira- 
tion of  the  seventy  years  Cyrus,  king  of  Persia,  granted  the  Jews 
permission  to  return  to  their  own  land  ;  and  in  consequence,  what 
had  been  'prediction  in  the  time  of  Jeremiah,  became  certainty  and 
fulfilment  in  the  days  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah ;  and  that  further  the 
prophecy  of  Jeremiah  bears  the  marks  of  true  revelation  and  inspira- 
tion, which  have  been  given  in  this  chapter,  as  the  doctrines  pro- 
claimed by  him  are  also  in  conformity  with  the  Pentateuch. 

We  have  thus  incontestable  proof  that  miracles  were  never  ap- 
pealed to  by  our  prophets  to  attest  their  divine  mission ;  but  refer- 
ence was  always  had  on  this  point  to  the  fulfilment  of  conditions 
previously  stated,  that  is  to  say,  the  accomplishment  of  the  predic- 
tions. A  similar  test  was  proposed  by  Elijah  to  the  prophets  of 
Baal  on  mount  Carmel,  to  prove  who  was  God  ; — if  the  Eternal  Lord 
whom  he  adored,  or  what  they  pretended  to  call  god.  He  made  a 
condition  with  those  around  him,  that  the  God  who  should  send  fire 
to  consume  the  sacrifices  should  be  acknowledged  as  the  true  God. 
The  false  prophets  were  obliged  to  think  this  test  so  liberal,  that 
they  immediately  consented.  It  need  not  be  told  that  their  efforts 
were  fruitless  (see  1  Kings,  chap,  xviii.),  though  they  dreadfully  cut 
themselves  with  swords  and  lances,  as  was  their  custom,  till  the 
blood  ran  down.  Not  so  acted  the  prophet  of  the  Eternal  Lord  of 
heaven :  calmly  but  with  firmness  did  he  call  the  people  to  him,  and 
thereupon  repaired  the  altar  of  his  God,  which  had  been  destroyed.* 
When  the  altar  was  finished,  and  the  sacrifice  was  laid  in  proper 
order  upon  it,  Elijah  addressed  a  fervent  prayer  to  God,  whose  mes- 
senger he  was :  "  To  prove  on  that  day  to  the  people  that  the  Eternal 
is  God,  and  that  he  himself  was  the  prophet  chosen  to  do  all  he  had 
done !" — And  behold — the  fire  descended  from  heaven,  and  con- 
sumed the  sacrifice,  and  the  wood,  and  the  stones,  and  the  dust,  yea 
even  the  water  in  the  trench  round  the  altar  !     It  was  then  that  the 

*  To  sacrifice  out  of  the  precincts  of  the  temple  was,  under  every  other  cir- 
cumstance, contrary  to  the  law  ;  but  as  it  had  become  necessary  to  prove  to  the 
deluded  people  the  folly  of  idolatry,  and  since  the  Israelites  no  longer  went  to 
Jerusalem  to  worship,  Elijah  was  permitted,  but  for  this  time  only,  to  bring  a 
sacrifice  upon  mount  Carmel,  as  the  practical  lesson  of  piety  could  only  be 
taught  at  the  place  and  in  the  manner  it  was  done  by  him. 


148  ,        INSPIRATION  AND  PROPHECY. 

eyes  of  the  people  were  opened,  and  they  beheld  clearly  that  the 
God  whom  Elijah  proclaimed  is  God,  and  that  Elijah  was  the  chosen 
messenger  of  this  their  God. — The  prophet  stood  alone,  unaided, 
amid  a  people  addicted  to  idolatry  but  a  few  moments  before — but 
now  they  were  convinced  of  their  error,  they  fell  on  their  faces  and 
said  :  "  The  Eternal  is  the  God  !  the  Eternal  is  the  God  !"  The 
film  was  removed  from  their  eyes,  and  but  three  words  were  all 
they  were  able  to  utter,  and  to  this  day  the  words  D'nbtfn  Nin  'n 
are  the  motto  of  our  nation ;  when  the  Day  of  Atonement  is  clos- 
ing they  announce  that  a  day  entirely  devoted  to  our  God  is  past ; 
when  our  brother  is  dying  they  are  repeated,  that  he  may  be  re- 
minded, at  the  moment  of  his  departure  hence,  of  the  God  of 
nature,  and  be  admonished  to  dedicate  to  Him  his  last  thoughts  ;  for 
He  is  kind,  merciful,  and  ever  ready  to  pardon  the  returning  child, 
though  this  return  has  been  long  deferred.  On  both  occasions,  at 
the  close  of  the  Day  of  Atonement  and  of  our  earthly  career,  we 
should  be  free  from  sin,  ready  to  meet  that  God  who  has  so  kindly 
sustained,  and  so  mercifully  protected  us.  Has  our  life  been  devoted 
to  his  service — have  not  our  sins  formed  a  division  between  Him  and 
us  : — then  our  prayer  on  the  Day  of  Atonement  cannot  have  been 
in  vain,  for  our  sins  have  been  forgiven.  If  every  Kippur-day  (Day 
of  Atonement)  has  been  thus  through  life — if  every  year  has  found 
us  better  and  more  perfect :  why  need  we  tremble  when  death  comes 
near  ?  Can  we  not  say  with> composure  :  "  The  Lord  shall  reign 
for  ever  ?"  Yes,  for  ever  shall  his  kingdom  endure, — like  ourselves 
all  mankind  shall  acknowledge  Him — shall  seek  protection  under 
his  almighty  power  ;  and  when  all  nations  have  been  united  in  his 
service,  all  will  join  us  in  exclaiming  :  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Eter- 
nal our  God  is  the  only  Eternal  Being !"  He  alone  is  everlasting — 
no  other  being  exists  to  share  his  power — to  Him,  therefore,  we 
will  submit  our  destinies ;  and  He  will  surely  assist  us.  Whilst  liv- 
ing we  will  pay  adoration  to  his  name ;  and  when  dying  let  our 
last  thought  be  :  his  UNITY !  his  power  !  his  protection !  and  his 
willingness  to  forgive  the  crimes  of  the  returning  sinner ! 


149 


CHAPTER    XXII. 


FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY. 


Having  seen,  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  what  prophecy  is,  we  ought 
next  to  examine  :  "  Can  the  prophecies  of  Moses,  or  at  least  a  part 
of  them,  be  verified  by  the  predicted  result  or  not  ?" 

We  have  already  seen  proven  (chap,  xii.)  that  one  at  least  of 
Moses's  predictions  has  been  literally  fulfilled,  namely,  that  the  be- 
lief in  his  prophecy  should  exist  amongst  us  for  ever ;  since  from  his 
time  to  the  present  age  every  generation  of  Jews  were  believers  in 
the  truth  of  his  mission.  Although  at  certain  periods  of  our  his- 
tory religion  was  sadly  neglected  :  yet  were  there  always  some  men 
who  firmly  adhered  to  the  law,  when  even  the  ignorant  multitude 
had  neglected  their  duty.  Another  strong  confirmation  of  our  law 
can  be  found  in  the  fact,  that  the  more  acquainted  a  man  is  with  it, 
the  stronger  will  ever  be  his  confidence  in  its  divine  origin,  and  in  the 
truth  of  him  by  whose  instrumentality  it  was  first  made  public.  If 
we  are  asked  for  proof  to  sustain  this  assertion,  we  can  exultingly 
point  to  the  long  succession  of  the  wisest  and  most  pious  men,  who, 
penetrated  with  real  love  of  God  and  affection  for  mankind,  labour- 
ed all  their  life,  under  every  disadvantage  imaginable,  to  perpetuate 
what  they  justly  conceived  to  be  the  word  of  God  amongst  their 
brethren.  And  what  was  their  reward  ? — Honours  conferred  by 
princes  1 — Worldly  riches  1 — No,  no, — imprisonment,  the  rack,  and 
even  the  scaffold ;  to  be  despised  by  heathens — hated  by  the  Maho- 
medans — and  persecuted,  even  to  death,  by  the  Nazarenes  !  And 
did  they  flinch  1 — Did  they  grow  slothful  in  their  sacred  avocation  ? 
Far  from  it.  The  greater  the  danger  was,  the  greater  and  more 
persevering  became  their  devotion.  The  following  anecdote  is  re- 
lated concerning  the  great  Rabbi  Akiba,  who  at  the  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years  suffered  the  most  cruel  death  for  his  attach- 
ment to  the  law : — "  The  government  had  prohibited  every  Jew, 

under  pain  of  death,  from  studying  or  teaching  the  law ;  but  regard- 


150  .         FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY. 

less  of  this  mandate  did  this  Rabbi  continue  to  teach  publicly,  as 
formerly  he  was  wont  to  do.  A  certain  Paphos,  son  of  Judah,  re- 
monstrated with  him  on  the  folly  of  thus  exposing  himself  to  certain 
destruction ;  but  Rabbi  Akiba  answered  him  with  the  following  para- 
ble : — A  fox  was  once  walking  by  the  margin  of  a  river,  and  he  saw 
the  fish  moving  to  and  fro  in  the  water,  as  if  they  were  in  fear  of 
something.  He  asked  them  the  reason  of  their  continual  motion, 
when  they  told  him,  it  was  on  account  of  the  fisherman  who  inces- 
santly molested  them  with  nets  and  fishing  rods. — '  Why  do  you  not 
leave  the  water,'  said  the  fox,  '  and  come  to  live  with  me  on  shore, 
as  your  and  my  ancestors  used  to  do  V  <  Really,'  answered  the  fish, 
1  thou  fox,  who  art  generally  considered  the  wisest  of  beasts,  art  in 
fact  the  most  silly  ;  here  in  the  water,  where  alone  we  can  live,  we 
are  afraid  ;  how  much  greater  reason  have  we  to  fear  the  dry  land, 
where  we  are  sure  to  die  !'  Not  long  after  this  conversation,  Rabbi 
Akiba  was  apprehended  and  committed  to  prison,  at  the  same  time 
that  Paphos  was  sent  there,  who  being  asked  by  the  former  what 
was  the  cause  of  his  being  there,  exclaimed :  *  Happy  art  thou, 
Akiba,  that  thou  sufferest  for  the  sake  of  the  law,  and  woe  to  thee,* 
Paphos,  that  thy  sufferings  proceed  from  unworthy  actions  !'  Akiba's 
integrity  did  not  save  him  from  death,  and  they  tore  the  flesh  from 
his  bones  with  iron  combs ;  but  he  suffered  with  patience,  and  con- 
tinued to  say  :  '  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Eternal  our  God  is  the  only  Eter- 
nal Being,'  till  his  soul  left  its  mortal  habitation,  to  ascend  to  hea- 
ven, to  receive  there  everlasting  light  and  permanent  unalloyed 
enjoyment,  as  the  reward  for  its  constancy !" 

Need  I  mention  the  many  precious  sons  and  daughters  of  Zion 
who  laid  in  heaps,  blackening  under  a  summer's  sun,  perforated  by 
the  dagger  of  the  adversary  1  Who  does  not  remember  the  stakes 
burning  in  Spain,  Portugal,  France,  and  England,  the  best  of  Jacob's 
children,  because  of  their  belief  in  ONE  GOD  1  And  they  ac- 
knowledged the  God  whom  their  forefathers  had  been  taught  to 


*  It  was  very  common  amongst  the  Jews  living  about  the  time  of  the  de- 
struction of  the  second  temple,  to  speak  of  themselves  in  the  second  or  third 
person.  See  several  passages  in  the  Talmud,  particularly  Baba  Metseengahy 
Payrcck,  Hapongalim. 


FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY.  151 

worship,  and  they  died  in  defence  of  the  faith  which  had  been  trans- 
mitted to  the  Israelites  through  Moses  ! 

In  Leviticus,  chap.  xxvi.  v.  32 — 33,  God  says :  "  And  I  will  lay 
waste  the  land,  so  that  your  enemies,  who  dwell  therein,  shall  be 
astonished  at  it.  And  yourselves  1  will  scatter  among  the  nations, 
and  will  draw  the  sword  after  you,  and  your  land  shall  be  desolate, 
and  your  cities  shall  be  waste.  "  And  has  not  this  actually  occur- 
red? Are  not  the  once  fertile  fields  of  Judah  a  desert?  the  splendid 
cities  of  Palestine  heaps  of  ruins  ?  and  the  beautiful  Jerusalem — the 
joy  of  all  the  earth — is  scarcely  the  shadow  of  its  former  self ;  and 
really  our  enemies  who  now  inhabit  our  land,  and  the  stranger  who 
comes  from  a  far  off  country,  are  astonished,  and  wonder :  "  For 
what  reason  has  ths  Lord  acted  so  towards  this  land,  why  was  this 
great  anger  kindled?"  But  to  our  shame  we  must  answer:  "  Be- 
cause we  have  forsaken  the  covenant  of  the  Eternal,  the  God  of  our 
forefathers,  which  he  made  with  us  when  He  brought  us  out  of 
Egypt ;  and  we  went,  and  worshipped  other  gods,  and  bowed  down 
to  them ;  gods  which  we  did  not  know,  and  which  our  God  had  not 
assigned  to  us.  The  anger  of  the  Lord  was  therefore  kindled 
against  this  land,  to  bring  upon  it  all  the  curses  which  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law.  And  the  Lord  has  driven  us  out  of  our  land 
in  anger,  and  in  wrath,  and  in  great  indignation,  and  thrown  us  into 
another  land,  as  we  see  this  day.v# 

In  Numbers,  chap.  xxiv.  v.  24,  is  the  following :  "  And  ships  of 
war  shall  come  from  the  coast  of  Chittim,  and  afflict  Ashur  and 
afflict  Eber,  but  it  (the  land  of  Chittim)  shall  also  be  ruined  at  last." 
(This  translation  is  according  to  Mendelsohn's  translation  of  the 
Pentateuch.)  At  the  time  that  Balaam  spoke  this  prophecy,  the 
Roman  state  was  not  in  existence,  and  the  other  nations,  by  whom 
Italy  was  then  inhabited,  were  not  in  a  condition  to  send  out  ships 
of  war  to  afflict  Ashur  and  Eber.     Therefore,  at  the  time  the  pro- 


*  This  answer  is  found  in  Deut.  chap,  xxix.,  only  that  1  have  taken  the  liber- 
ty of  using  the  first  instead  of  the  third  person  plural.  My  intention,  however, 
is  not  to  change  the  meaning  of  the  passage  in  the  slightest  degree ;  but  since 
I  could  not  use  words  more  expressive  than  those  of  Holy  Writ  I  applied  them 
as  above.  I  deem  this  explanation  necessary,  that  none  may  accuse  me  of  per- 
verting the  text  of  Scripture. 


152  FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY. 

phecy  was  uttered,  it  could  not  have  been  understood,  since  the  na* 
tion  to  which  the  prophecy  referred  was  not  even  in  being.  But 
has  not  this  prediction  been  literally  fulfilled  ?  Did  not  the  Romans 
overrun  Assyria  and  Judea?  And  where  are  these  Romans  at  the 
present  day  ?  Where  is  their  splendour  ?  Where  is  their  mighty 
empire  ? — Lost,  lost,  lost ! — The  ancient  Forum  is  now  a  cow-mar- 
ket ;  this  place,  where  once  the  greatest  Roman  orators  contended 
for  the  victory,  is  buried  under  rubbish,  and  the  ruins  of  buildings 
which  once  surrounded  it !  The  Coliseum,  built  by  the  commands 
of  a  conquering  emperor  by  conquered  captives,  remains  now  a 
monument  of  the  awful  vengeance  which  our  God  has  taken  against 
Rome,  through  hordes  of  barbarians  sent  to  subvert  the  mightiest 
empire  of  antiquity. — And  Italy  ?  is  at  present  divided  into  many 
small  governments,  scarcely  one  of  which  can  be  called  independ- 
ent.— And  the  Italians  1  the  nobility  of  theiilfeharacter  has  past 
away;  and  where  can  you  find  the  representative  of  Tully — of 
Caesar — of  Tiberius  Gracchus — of  Fabius  the  Cunctator?  The 
energy  of  the  Italians  is  broken ;  and  those,  who  once  kept  a  world 
in  subjection  by  the  terror  of  their  arms,  are  now  an  easy  prey  to 
every  invader ! 

Near  the  close  of  Numbers,  chap,  xxxiii.,  we  read  that  the  Israelites 
were  commanded  to  drive  out  the  Canaanites,  and  they  were  foretold 
that  those  Canaanites,  not  driven  out  as  soon  as  it  could  be  done, 
should  be  like  thorns  in  their  sides,  meaning,  that  they  should  but 
ill  requite  the  debt  of  gratitude  they  owed  the  Israelites  for  their 
forbearance,  but  would,  on  the  contrary,  be  their  most  inveterate  en- 
emies. Our  ancestors,  knew  better,  as  they  thought,  how  to  deal 
with  the  aborigines  than  God  had  commanded,  and  they  left  many 
of  these  wicked  people  amongst  them,  only  exacting  a  tribute  for  the 
protection  afforded  to  them.  But  mark  the  consequences  !  The  Is- 
raelites were  immediately  notified  that  it  should  never  be  in  their 
power  to  expel  the  remaining  Canaanites,  and  that  they  should  be 
their  constant  enemies ;  and  this  was  literally  accomplished,  witness 
the  subjection  of  the  Israelites  (previous  to  Deborah)  to  the  king  of 
Harosheth,  and  David's  taking  Jerusalem,  by  storm,  from  the 
Jebusites. 

In  Deut.  chap,  xxviii.  we  have  a  description  of  the  conquest  of 
Palestine  by  Vespasian  and  Titus ;  and  if  Moses  had  been  present  at 


FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY.  153 

the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  he  could  never  have  better  and  more  forcibly- 
described  the  sufferings  of  the  besieged. — Of  the  Romans  themselves 
he  says :  "  The  Lord  shall  bring  over  thee  a  nation  from  afar,  from 
the  end  of  the  earth,  like  the  eagle  flies;  a  nation  whose  language 
thou  shalt  not  understand."  This  nation,  fierce  and  steeled  against 
jrity,  was  to  besiege  the  Israelites  in  all  -their  cities,  till  the  strongest 
and  highest  walls  had  been  broken  down  ;  and  all  this  was  to  be  in 
consequence  of  their  non-compliance  with  the  will  of  God,  as  con- 
tained in  the  Mosaic  law. — And  did  this  not  take  place  ?  Were  not 
the  Romans  a  nation  from  the  verge  of  the  earth,  whose  conquests 
were  as  rapid  as  the  flight  of  the  eagle  1  Were  they  not  fierce  and 
steeled  against  pity  1  What  nation  did  the  Romans  ever  spare  1 
Did  they  not  rather  break  the  power  of  every  people  that  attempted 
to  resist  their  gradual  but  unceasing  encroachments  1  Just  so  did 
they  also  treat  us  ;  they  drove  us  from  post  to  post,  and  from  town 
to  town,  till  all  our  cities  at  last  became  subject  to  their  sway  !  and 
thus  was  this  prediction  accomplished. 

Deut.  chap,  xxviii.  v.  37  :  "  And  thou  shalt  become  an  (object  of) 
astonishment,  a  proverb,  and  a  bye-word  amongst  all  the  nations, 
whither  the  Eternal  thy  God  shall  carry  thee." — So  we  are  !  Every 
one  is  astonished  how  a  nation  so  favoured  by  God,  could  be  reduced 
so  low  ;  when  any  preacher  admonishes  the  people  who  flock  to  hear 
him,  he  points  either  the  finger  of  scorn  or  pity  at  us,  and  exclaims  : 
"See  what  the  Jews  have  come  to!"  Whatever  wrong  is  done  by 
one  of  us,  though  this  one  be  the  most  insignificant  and  worthless, 
the  whole  nation  is,  in  a  measure,  burthened  with  the  stigma;  if  a 
woman  of  our  society  acts  contrary  to  law,  it  seems  to  be  of  weight 
enough  to  throw  blame  upon  every  one,  wlio  was  born  in  the  same 
faith  with  her ;  yea,  our  very  name  has  been  used  to  express  every 
thing  dishonourable  and  mean — the  noble  name  of  Israelite  has  been 
applied  to  designate  a  usurer,  when  usury  is  universally  known  to 
be  contrary  to  the  law  which  the  Israelite  acknowledges.  It  is  thus, 
that  the  curse  pronounced  against  us  for  disobedience,  has  been,  alas  ! 
too  literally  fulfilled,  and  we  have  become  an  object  of  astonishment, 
a  proverb,  and  a  bye-word,  and  the  very  meanest  of  human  beings 
thinks  himself  superior  to  the  best  of  our  nation. 

We  have  here  before  us  some  of  the  most  prominent  prophecies 
concerning  the  punishment,  which  was  predicted  and  did  actually 
20 


154  FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY. 

overtake  our  ancestors  and  even  ourselves  to  this  very  day.  It  may 
be,  that  we  are  yet  to  suffer  many  centuries,  for  as  yet  our  course 
has  not  been  in  the  spirit  of  true  repentance,  we  have  not  even  now 
thrown  aside  the  sins  for  which  Jerusalem  was  twice  taken,  and  the 
temple  twice  burnt.  Not  yet  have  all  the  Israelites  one  heart  and 
one  mind  in  the  worship  of  the  Eternal  their  Redeemer  ;  but  when- 
ever they  "  pursue  the  true  path  to  know  the  Eternal,"  they  may 
rest  assured,  that  their  captives  will  be  gathered  and  restored  to 
their  former  habitations. — Let  us  consider  the  following  from  the 
Talmud :  Rabbi  Gamaliel,  R.  Elazar  ben  Azariah,  R.  Yehoshua,  and 
Rabbi  Akiba*  were  one  day  standing  together,  when  they  saw  a  fox 
running  out  from  the  place,  where  the  holies  of  holies  once  stood  ; 
the  three  first  began  to  weep,  whilst  R.  Akiba  laughed  ;  in  astonish- 
ment, they  asked  of  him  the  cause  of  his  untimely  mirth,  but  he  in 
his  turn  enquired  :  "Why  do  you  weep?"  "And  should  we  not 
weep,  when  we  see  the  curse  so  clearly  verified  ?  for  the  mountain 
of  Zion,  which  is  desolate,  the  foxes  walked  upon  it."  (Lament,  v. 
18.)  "  For  this  reason  do  I  laugh,"  answered  the  wise  Rabbi, 
"  whilst  the  evil  prophecies  remained  unaccomplished,  there  might 
have  been  fears  entertained  for  the  verification  of  the  good  tidings 
promised  through  our  prophets;  but  now,  since  we  see  the  evil 
coming  to  pass,  can  we  possibly  doubt  the  eventual  fulfilment  of  the 
consolation  of  Zion — and  does  not  God  rather  reward  than  punish  V* 
His  friends  were  satisfied,  and  answered  :  "  Akiba,  thou  hast  com- 
forted us  !" 

And  not  hope  alone,  but  also  a  partial  fulfilment  attests  the  truth 
of  the  good  prophesied  to  us.  We  read  in  Levit.  chap.  xxvi.  v.  44  i 
"  And  yet  for  all  that,  when  they  be  in  the  land  of  their  enemies,  I 
will  not  cast  them  away,  nor  will  1  abhor  them  to  destroy  them  ut- 
terly and  to  break  my  covenant  with  them,  for  I  am  yet  the  Eternal 
their  God.  But  I  will  remember  them  (for  their  benefit)  the  cove- 
nant of  their  ancestors,  whom  I  have  brought  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt  in  the  sight  of  the  heathens,  that  1  might  be  their  God  ;  I  am 
the  Eternal." — This  prophecy  clearly  points  out  the  protecting  arm 
ever  held  out  over  the  Israelites,  and  never  yet  did  God  leave  us 
altogether  at  the  mercy  of  our  adversaries. — Whenever  a  plot  has 

*  They  lived  immediately  after  the  destruction  of  the  temple. 


FULFILMENT  OF  PROPHECY.  155 

teen  formed  for  our  destruction,  we  yet  escaped,  and  often  our  ene- 
mies fell  in  the  snares  they  had  laid  for  our  feet ;  and  though  hun- 
dreds and  thousands  of  us  have  been  killed  in  battle — in  the  amphithe- 
atre— by  the  sword — the  gibbet — and  the  stake,  we  are  still  as  nu- 
merous among  the  nations  as  the  "  dew-drops  from  heaven,"  and  all 
the  massacres  have  not  caused  a  sensible  diminution  of  our  numbers. 
Another  prophecy  pronounced  by  Moses  in  Deut.  chap,  xxxii.,  is 
even  now  in  a  train  of  accomplishment.  The  last  song  of  the  law- 
giver concludes  thus :  "  Praise*  as  happy,  O  ye  nations,  his  people, 
for  He  will  avenge  the  blood  of  his  servants,  and  render  vengeance 
unto  his  adversaries,  and  wash  away  the  sins  of  his  land  and  of  his 
people."  (v.  43.)  And  indeed  all  who  have  oppressed  us  in  times 
gone  by,  now,  at  this  very  hour,  feel  the  weight  of  the  vengeance 
threatened  against  the  adversaries  of  Israel.  See  what  has  become 
of  Spain  and  Portugal !  countries  once  flourishing  and  prosperous, 
now  impoverished — sunk  in  ignorance,  and  degraded  !  The  innocent 
blood  of  God's  servants  does  not  cry  in  vain  to  be  avenged ;  the  per- 
pretators  of  the  horrid  deeds  are  slaves — and  the  places  where  these 
barbarous  scenes  were  witnessed  are  hourly  becoming  more  like  a 
wilderness,  and  it  is  evident  to  the  most  careless  observer,  that  all 
this  is  owing  to  the  expulsion  of  our  brethren  from  these  countries ; 
for  since  the  time  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  Spain  has  been  gra- 
dually declining.  The  same  was  the  case  with  England  before  the 
time  of  Cromwell ;  civil  wars  and  internal  commotions  were  then 
very  common,  and  only  since  the  days  of  the  protector,  when  the 
Jews  began  to  re-enter  England,  has  it  risen  to  that  eminence  it 
now  holds  among  European  nations.  Verily  the  prophecy  of  Jere- 
miah is  every  day  proving  its  truth  :  (Jer.  chap.  ii.  v.  1 — 3.)  "  And 
the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  me  as  follows  :  '  Go  and  cry  in  the 

*  I  have  given  a  different  translation  of  this  verse  from  the  one  in  the  Eng- 
lish version,  having  followed  R.  Moses  Mendelsohn  (of  blessed  memory)  who 
translates  lyj^n  with,  preiset  glucklich,  that  is :  declare  happy,  praise  them  as 
happy. — Again,  *\£j)  is  given  in  the  Eng.  Vers,  will  be  merciful,  when  in  fact, 
the  true  meaning  of  this  word  is  wipe  off,  as  VJD  n^DDK  (Gen.  chap,  xxxii.  v. 
21,):  "  I  will  remove  his  anger  ;"  I  have  therefore  given  it :  "  He  will  wash 
away  the  sins;"  and  thus  prophesied  Jeremiah  :  "  In  those  days,  and  at  that  time, 
speaks  the  Lord,  shall  the  transgression  of  Israel  be  sought  for,  but  it  shall  be 
no  more,  and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  not  be  found,  for  I  will  pardon 
those  whom  1  shall  leave." 


156  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

ears  of  Jerusalem,'  (proclaim  that  every  one  may  hear)  *  and 
say:  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  remember  unto  thee  the  kindness  of 
thy  youth,  the  love  of  thy  espousals,  when  thou  didst  walk  after  me 
in  the  wilderness,  in  a  land  which  is  not  sown.  Israel  is  holy  to  the 
Lord'  (consecrated  to  his  service)  '  and  the  first  of  his  fruit,  all  who 
devour'  (injure  or  molest)  '  him  shall  offend,  evil  shall  befal  them,' 
saith  the  Lord."  Let  therefore  all  nations  be  cautious  how 
they  meddle  with  us,  lest  they  offend,  and  incur  punishment. — 
From  the  whole  of  the  foregoing  it  will  be  clearly  seen,  that  some 
of  the  good  prophecies  have  come  to  pass,  and  can  we  then  enter- 
tain any  doubt  about  the  ultimate  restoration  of  the  Israelites  and 
the  gathering  of  the  captives  1  Let  us  then,  my  brethren,  await 
with  resignation  the  time  when  Jerusalem  shall  be  rebuilt,  and  the 
Israelites  shall  again  inhabit  the  land  of  their  ancestors  ! 


CHAPTER  XX11I. 


THE    RELIGION    OP   THE    BIBLE. 


If  what  has  been  advanced  in  the  preceding  chapters  is  correct, 
and  there  is  every  reason  for  its  being  so :  it  follows,  that  the  Mo- 
saic laws  are  of  divine  origin,  and  are  for  this  reason,  and  no  other, 
binding  upon  us.  But  some  doubter  may  yet  question,  if  the  books 
we  now  have  are  the  same  which  were  given  to  Moses,  or  what  is  the 
same  thing:  "Have  not  at  different  times  different  laws  been  ob- 
served by  the  Jews  under  the  name  of  the  Mosaic  code  ?" 

To  answer  this  question  we  need  only  refer  to  the  historical  books 
written  posterior  to  Moses's  death,  and  anterior  to  the  return  of  the 
Jews  from  Babylon.  It  cannot  be  expected  (because  it  was  unne- 
cessary) that  every  one  of  the  commandments  contained  in  the  Pen- 
tateuch should  be  found  in  the  histories  and  the  prophets ;  but  if  we 
find  some  recorded,  (when  occasion  required,)  and  those  in  the  very 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  157 

words  of  the  Mosaic  law,  we  must  admit  that  there  is  good  ground 
for  believing  that  the  other  commandments  also,  though  not  men- 
tioned, were  then  known  and  practised. 

Joshua,  the  immediate  successor  of  Moses,  circumcised  the 
younger  part  of  the  Jews,  or  rather  Israelites,  immediately  after 
they  had  crossed  the  Jordan.  (Josh.  v.  4.) — While  the  Israelites 
were  crossing  the  Jordan,  they  took  with  them  twelve  stones,  each 
as  heavy  as  a  strong  man  could  carry,  out  of  the  bed  of  the  river, 
which  they  erected  in  Gilgal,  as  a  monument  that  they  had  passed 
through  the  Jordan  in  the  same  manner  their  fathers  had  passed 
through  the  Arabian  Sea. — When  afterwards  they  arrived  at  mount 
Ebal,  they  built  an  altar  of  unhewn  stones,  and  inscribed  thereon  the 
Deuteronomy,  and  also  brought  sacrifices  of  burnt  and  peace-offer- 
ings, (Josh.  chap,  viii.)  as  was  commanded  by  Moses.  (Deut.  chap, 
xxvii.  v.  1 — 8.)  They  also  pronounced  the  blessings  towards*  those 
who  stood  upon  Gerizim,  and  the  curses  towards  those  upon  Ebal, 
as  commanded  in  the  same  chapter  of  Deuteronomy. — In  the  same* 
book,  chap,  xxi.,  it  is  forbidden  to  let  a  culprit  hang  over  night  on 
the  gallows,  and  Joshua  invariably  acted  so. — The  land,  when  con- 
quered, was  to  be  divided  by  lot  among  the  different  tribes,  but  the 
tribe  of  Levi  was  to  have  only  forty-eight  cities,  and  a  mile  round 
the  cities  on  all  the  four  sides,  just  so  did  Joshua  do ;  and  he  also 
confirmed  the  commands  given  to  Moses,  (in  Numb.  chap.  xiv.  v.  24 
and  Deut.  chap.  i.  v.  36,)  by  giving  Hebron  to  Caleb,  and  the  land 
beyond  Jordan  to  the  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad,  and  the  half  of  Me- 
nasseh.  (Numb.  chap,  xxxii.  v.  22.) — In  several  passages  of  Exodus, 
Numb,  and  Deut.,  we  see  positive  commands  given  to  provide  cities 
of  refuge  for  the  man  who  had  slain  another  unintentionally.  Now 
let  any  man  compare  the  thirty-fifth  of  Numbers,  with  the  twentieth 
of  the  book  of  Joshua,  and  he  must  confess  that  this  part  of  the  law 
was  existing  before  Joshua. — In  Joshua,  chap,  xxii.,  is  an  account 
of  an  altar  built  by  the  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad,  and  half  of  Me- 

*  It  must  not  be  supposed,  that  the  blessings  and  curses  were  pronounced  in 
favour  of  one  and  against  the  other  division  of  tribes ;  but  that  the  Levites 
turned,  whilst  pronouncing  the  blessings,  towards  those  upon  Gerizim,  and, 
while  pronouncing  the  curses,  towards  those  upon  Ebal ;  but  in  point  of  fact, 
the  blessings  were  intended  for  all  the  Israelites,  in  case  they  acted  right,  and 
the  curses,  in  case  they  acted  wrong. 


158  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

nasseh,  upon  their  return  to  their  own  land.  It  is  well  known,  that 
according  to  Lev.  chap.  xvii.  v.  8,  it  was  unlawful  to  sacrifice  but  at 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  while  it  served  in  place  of  the  temple. 
The  Israelites  therefore  sent  a  deputation  to  the  two  and  a  half 
tribes,  to  remonstrate  with  them  on  account  of  their  building  an  al- 
tar in  contravention  of  the  command  of  God  ;  but  the  latter  informed 
them  in  extenuation  of  the  supposed  infraction  of  the  law,  that  it 
was  but  a  monument  commemorative  of  the  history  of  the  time  and 
of  their  affinity  to  the  other  tribes,  and  on  no  account  to  offer  upon 
it  any  sacrifice  whatever. 

In  the  admirably  written  address  of  the  great  republican  leader 
Joshua,  we  find  him  admonishing  the  people  whom  he  had  so  long 
and  faithfully  governed,  in  nearly  the  same  terms  used  by  Moses. 
He  even  so  far  agrees  with  his  predecessor,  in  what  may  appear  to 
some  a  trifling,  but  which  is  to  a  Jew  of  necessity  a  very  essential 
thing,  as  to  prohibit  the  swearing  by  or  mentioning  the  names  of 
idols.  (Exodus,  chap,  xxiii.  v.  13,  and  Josh.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  7.)  The 
reason  for  this  interdiction  will  be  easily  discovered  by  every  think- 
ing man  ;  it  was,  namely,  to  prevent  their  taking  a  pretended  oath 
by  an  idol,  with  a  view  perhaps  of  deceiving  either  for  their  own  ad- 
vantage, for  instance,  to  obtain  money,  -preserve  life,  or  the  like,  or 
for  the  benefit  or  tranquillity  of  others ;  such  conduct  is  condemned 
by  our  law,  no  deception  must  be  practised,  but  our  conduct  should 
be  open  and  free  from  all  duplicity  and  evasion,  and  if  it  be  neces- 
sary for  us  to  take  an  oath,  let  it  be  by  the  name  of  the  Eternal,  to 
whom  alone  we  owe  allegiance.  In  the  same  chapter,  v.  15,  Joshua 
says  :  "  That  as  the  Israelites  had  received  all  the  good  which  God 
had  promised  them,  they  might  be  sure,  that  in  case  of  deviation, 
they  should  suffer  every  punishment  denounced,  even  the  expulsion 
from  that  land  they  had  just  acquired  by  conquest." 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  second  harangue  (chap.  xxiv.  v.  15 — 16,) 
Joshua  proposed  to  the  people  a  choice  of  worship,  either  to  serve 
the  Eternal,  or  the  idols  worshipped  by  the  ancestors  of  Abraham  in 
Chaldea,  or  the  gods  of  the  Amorites,  "  but  "  said  he,  "  I  and  my 
family  will  serve  the  Eternal." — It  was  therefore  left  to  the  people, 
for  the  third  time,  to  accept  or  reject  the  books  of  Moses  ;  but  then 
no  such  thing  as  doubting  existed,  they  were  all  too  much  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  what  they  had  seen,  and  thus  they  spoke :  "  Far  be 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  15£ 

it  from  us  to  forsake  the  Eternal,  to  serve  other  gods.  For  it  is  the 
Eternal  our  God,  who  has  brought  us  and  our  fathers  out  of  Egypt, 
from  the  house  of  slavery,  and  who  has  done  before  our  eyes  these 
great  wonders,  and  preserved  us  in  all  the  way  we  travelled,  and 
amongst  all  the  nations  we  passed  through  ;  and  He,  the  Eternal, 
has  driven  out  all  the  nations  and  the  Amorites,  the  inhabitants  of 
this  land,  before  us  :  the  Eternal  then  we  also  will  serve,  for  HE  IS 
OUR  GOD."  Joshua  again  reminded  them,  that  the  worship  of  God 
was  not  so  easy  a  matter,  for  that  He  is  careful  of  his  honour,  and 
never  suffers  sins  to  remain  unpunished,  because  He  is  holy.  They 
again  assented,  though  they  were  now,  if  they  were  even  not  so  be- 
fore, fully  convinced  that  they  would  be  certainly  punished  if  they 
sinned. — Joshua  then  addressed  them  :  "  You  are  witnesses  against 
yourselves,  that  you  have  chosen  yourselves  the  Eternal,  to  serve 
Him  ;"  to  this  they  answered  :  "  We  are  witnesses  ;"  they  presently 
added  :  "  The  Eternal  our  God  we  will  serve,  and  his  voice  we  will 
obey  !"  Joshua  added  all  the  above  to  the  book  of  the  law  of  God, 
and  erected  a  stone  as  a  monument,  and  said  :  "  This  stone  shall  be 
a  witness  against  us,  for  it  has  heard  all  the  words  of  the  Eternal, 
which  He  has  spoken  with  us  ; — let  it  be  an  evidence  against  you, 
lest  you  deny  your  God  !" — This  is  the  substance  of  the  last  address 
of  Joshua;  let  it  not  however  be  supposed,  that  he  meant  to  assert, 
that  the  stone  had  actually  heard  the  words  spoken  ;  but  that  the 
expression  is  employed  figuratively,  to  indicate  to  posterity,  when- 
ever they  should  see  this  stone,  that  their  ancestors  willingly  entered 
into  the  covenant,  because  they  had  seen  all  before  them,  so  that 
there  was  no  room  to  doubt,  and  thus  the  stone  would  serve  in  fact 
every  purpose,  as  if  it  had  heard  all  and  communicated  its  knowledge 
to  those  who  saw  it. 

From  the  above  we  can  draw  the  following  incontestable  infer- 
ences :  first,  that  the  Mosaic  books  existed  before  Joshua  obtained 
his  office  of  judge ;  or  what  is  the  same,  that  they  were  written  by 
Moses  himself,  for  who  else  could  have  done  it  1  Secondly,  that 
Joshua  added  his  own  book  to  the  first  part  of  our  canon,  and  it  is 
therefore  authentic,  having  been  written  by  an  eye-witness  of  the 
facts  it  contains.  And  lastly,  that  at  the  time  of  Joshua's  death 
the  Israelites  adhered  firmly  to  the  laws  derived  from  Sinai,  and 
that  the  third  generation  from  the  Exodus  willingly  accepted  these 


1(30  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

laws  as  their  code,  and  the  Eternal  as  their  God,  having  been  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  and  correctness  of  the  Pentateuch  by  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  predictions  it  contains,  relative  to  the  conquests  of 
Palestine  ;  and  being  impressed  with  a  firm  conviction  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Eternal  and  his  almighty  power,  having  so  largely  par- 
taken of  his  goodness,  kindness,  and  protection,  in  all  the  trying 
scenes  of  their  history,  from  the  first  mission  of  Moses  down  to  the 
time  of  which  we  are  speaking. 

There  are,  besides  those  already  enumerated,  several  other  coinci- 
dences between  the  book  of  Joshua  and  the  Pentateuch,  of  which,  how- 
ever, I  shall  only  mention  the  observance  of  the  Passover-feast  (chap, 
v.)  whilst  the  Israelites  were  at  Gilgal. — We  must  now  examine  the 
book  of  Judges,  in  which  we  find  several  instances  recorded,  in  which 
the  Mosaic  law  was  observed. — Immediately  in  the  commencement 
we  find,  that  the  people  asked  advice  through  the  Urim  and  Thu- 
mim. — The  messenger,  who  came  to  Bochim  to  announce  to  the 
people  that  their  conduct  had  been  displeasing  to  God,  made  use  of 
language  similar  to  Moses  in  the  thirty-third  chapter  of  Numbers. 
Samson  was,  by  a  special  message,  dedicated  to  God  as  a  Nazarite 
TJJ,  and  he  was  ordered  strictly  to  observe  the  regulations  laid  down 
for  the  conduct  of  a  person  thus  consecrated,  which  consecration 
was  always  voluntary  on  the  part  of  the  Nazarite  himself,  except 
in  the  instances  of  Samson  and  Samuel.  (Numb.  chap,  vi.) — Gideon, 
when  he  had  been  appointed  by  the  messenger  of  God  to  effect  the 
liberation  of  his  fellow-citizens  from  the  yoke  of  their  enemies 
(Judges,  chap,  vi.),  was  commanded  to  cut  down  the  trees,  and  to 
break  the  altar  used  for  the  worship  of  Baal,  conformably  to  the 
repeated  commandments  in  relation  to  idolatry.  (Numb,  xxxiii.  and 
other  places.) — Adultery  was  an  unheard  of  thing  in  the  latter  times 
of  the  Judges  ;  and  the  commitment  of  such  an  act  was  sufficient 
cause  to  induce  the  whole  nation  to  take  up  arms  against  the  tribe 
of  Benjamin,  upon  their  refusal  to  deliver  up  to  punishment  the  per- 
petrators of  this  horrible  outrage.  (Judges,  chap,  xx.) 

Not  only  are  there  confirmations  to  be  found  in  the  book  of 
Judges  of  the  imperative,  but  also  of  the  historical  parts  of  our  law. 
I  allude,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  passage  in  the  song  of  Deborah 
(chap.  v.  v.  4 — 5,)  in  which  she  plainly  refers  to  the  promulgation 
of  the  law  from  Sinai ;  and  the  language  employed  bears  a  close  re- 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  161 

semblance  to  the  beautiful  passage  in  the  thirty-third  chapter  of 
Deuteronomy. — In  the  second  place,  I  wish  to  direct  the  attention 
of  the  reader  to  the  letter  of  Yiphtach  (Jephthah)  to  the  king  of 
the  Ammonites.  (Judg.  chap,  xi.)  Here  Yiphtach,  who  had  been 
chosen  commander  against  the  invader,  expostulates  with  the  latter 
about  his  unjust  irruption  into  Palestine.  He  recapitulates  in  a  few 
words  the  history  of  the  conquest  of  the  country  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Jordan,  as  a  justification  of  its  being  possessed  by  the  Israelites. 
He  further  states,  that  it  had  remained  in  their  possession  for  three 
hundred  years,  and  if  the  Ammonites  had  had  any  right  to  it,  they 
would  surely  have  claimed  it  in  all  this  time. — From  this  letter  of 
the  Hebrew  general  we  must  infer,  that  three  hundred  years  after 
Moses  his  history  was  yet  believed  not  alone  by  the  Hebrews,  but 
was  even  offered  in  argument  to  a  heathen  king ;  which  could  not 
have  been  done  if  the  matter  in  debate  had  not  been  known  to  this 
king  from  sources  other  than  the  Hebrew  writings.  For,  what 
would  the  story  avail  which  Yiphtach  tells,  if  the  king  could  have 
answered  :  "  All  these  things  are  new  to  me,  and  I  do  not  believe 
you  ?"  But  since  Yiphtach  appeals  to  the  facts  which  he  relates  in 
such  a  confident  and  triumphant  manner,  it  must  be  admitted,  that 
the  history  of  the  conquest  of  Palestine,  as  related  by  Moses  and 
Joshua,  is  the  authentic  account  of  this  event ;  and  that  further  it 
was  a  matter  of  general  notoriety  amongst  the  nations  bordering 
upon  Palestine. 

The  book  of  Ruth,  the  history  of  which  is  contemporaneous  with 
that  of  the  Judges,  affords  other  instances  of  the  observance  of  seve- 
ral other  Mosaic  precepts  ;  namely,  the  redemption  of  the  land  of 
poor  relatives,  (Lev.  chap.  xxv.  v.  25,)  the  espousal  of  the  relict  of 
a  near  connection,  (Deut.  chap.  xxv.  v.  5,)  and  the  leaving  of  things 
forgotten  in  the  field  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  and  the  stranger. 
(Lev.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  22,  and  Deut.  chap.  xxiv.  v.  19.)  Besides  the  ob- 
servance of  the  written  precepts,  we  discover  the  custom  of  con- 
firming a  sale,  bargain,  or  contract,  by  one  party  pulling  off  his 
shoe  and  presenting  it  to  the  other,  which  custom,  only  in  a  different 
manner,  is  yet  observed  amongst  us  ;  namely,  one  party  takes  hold 
of  the  corner  of  a  garment,  and  presents  it  to  the  other  to  lay  hold 
of  in  the  same  manner,  and  this  ceremony  concludes  the  contract. 
This  custom,  recorded  in  Ruth,  is  the  first  example  on  record  of 
21 


162  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

traditional  or  rabbinical  law,  and  deserves  for  this  reason  particular 
attention. 

Having  thus  taken  a  cursory  view  of  the  three  oldest  books  after 
Moses's,  we  will  next  examine  the  books  known  as  the  first  and  se- 
cond of  Samuel  and  the  two  books  of  Kings.  In  the  very  outset  of 
the  first  of  these  books  we  find,  that  Elkanah,  the  father  of  Samuel, 
made  his  annual  pilgrimages  to  the  tabernacle  of  assembly  at  Shiloh, 
in  conformity  with  the  injunction  three  times  repeated  in  the  Mosaic 
law,  to  sacrifice  the  offerings  of  the  seasons  and  those  which  he 
voluntarily  offered. — We  also  see  in  the  same  chapter  exemplified 
the  most  approved  mode  of  praying  ;  and  further,  that  the  heartfelt 
prayer,  though  scarcely  audible,  is  that  most  acceptable  to  the 
Deity. — In  the  second  chapter  we  have  undoubted  proof,  that  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body  was  universally  known 
amongst  the  Israelites,  since  Hannah  employed  this  assertion  in  her 
song  of  thanksgiving,  after  she  had  presented  her  son  to  the  high- 
priest.  Another  interesting  subject  can  be  established  by  this  song, 
that  poetry  was  an  accomplishment  not  unusual  amongst  our  ances- 
tors, since  we  see  females  inditing  songs  of  praise,  (Hannah  and 
Deborah,)  and,  of  course,  a  nation,  where  such  exalted  sentiments 
as  used  by  these  two  Hebrew  females  were  common,  must  have 
reached  a  high  state  of  civilisation. — In  Numbers,  chap.  vi.  v.  19, 
we  read,  that  the  priest  was  not  entitled  to  take  his  share  of  the 
sacrifice,  till  it  was  boiling  in  the  pot ;  and  in  1  Samuel,  chap.  ii. 
v.  15 — 17,  we  find,  that  the  two  sons  of  Eli  are  censured  for  in- 
fringing thi?  regulation  by  demanding  the  priest's  portion,  while  the 
meat  was  yet  raw. — In  the  fourth  and  sixth  chapters  we  have  some 
curious  and  important  facts  relative  to  the  truth  of  the  history  of 
Moses,  namely,  that  the  Philistines  were  acquainted  with  the  many 
plagues  the  Egyptians  had  suffered  on  account  of  the  oppression 
they  imposed  upon  the  Hebrews. — In  chap.  vii.  v.  6,  is  a  confirma- 
tion of  the  truth  of  tradition,  with  regard  to  the  pouring  out  of 
water  on  the  feast  of  Tabernacles  ;  for  in  this  verse  we  read,  that 
they  poured  out  water  before  the  Lord  ;  that  they  also  fasted  that 
day,  and  said  there  :  "  We  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  ;"  and  that 
Samuel  held  judgment  over  the  Israelites.  We  must  infer  from  this, 
that  the  sacrifice  of  water  was  a  custom  sanctioned  by  the  earliest 
authorities  posterior  to  Moses — that  on  the  days  of  fasting  the  peo- 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  163 

pie  made  confession  of  their  sins  in  addresses  to  God — and  that 
restitution  was  made  for  any  wrong  done  by  man  to  man,  for  we 
read  that  Samuel  sat  in  judgment.  Does  this  not  prove  the  anti- 
quity of  the  fast-days  amongst  the  Jews,  and  of  the  customs  ob- 
served on  such  occasions  1 

After  Saul  had  been  chosen  by  lot  as  head  of  the  nation,  he  being 
the  man  whom  God  had  chosen,  (Deut.  chap.  xvii.  v.  15,)  (which 
was  at  the  same  time  recorded,  1  Sam.  chap.  x.  v.  25,)  he  was  des- 
pised by  the  worthless  part  of  the  people,  who  said  contemptuously  : 
"  What  good  can  this  one  do  us  ?"  they  brought  him  no  presents, 
as  is  yet  customary  in  the  East,  but  it  is  recorded  to  Saul's  honour, 
that  he  took  no  notice  of  this  intentional  insult.  And  now  mark  the 
simplicity  of  those  days ;  the  man  chosen  from  amongst  all  the  na- 
tion to  be  their  leader  and  chief,  had  just  returned  from  his  work  in 
the  field,  when  he  heard  the  lamentations  of  the  people  on  account 
of  the  irruption  of  the  king  of  the  Ammonites.  But  the  hero  was 
filled  with  more  than  natural  courage,  and  he  assembled  all  the  peo- 
ple to  follow  him  and  Samuel  to  battle.  They  conquered  under  the 
guidance  of  Saul ;  and  when  the  people  threatened  with  death  every 
one  who  should  refuse  to  acknowledge  him,  he  forbade  the  harming 
of  any  one  on  that  account,  "  for  the  Eternal  had  given  assistance 
to  Israel  on  that  day." — It  will  appear  from  this  whole  account,  that 
the  Israelites  followed  strictly  in  the  choice  of  their  king  the  rule 
laid  down  in  Deut.  chap.  xvii.  v.  15. — In  the  twelfth  chapter  of  first 
Samuel  will  be  found  the  address  of  Samuel  to  the  people  after  Saul 
was  finally  chosen  ;  here  the  prophet  recapitulates  the  history  of  the 
Jews  according  to  Moses's  account  of  them ;  and  we  have  thus  for 
the  hundredth  time  positive  and  incontestable  proof,  that  the  book  of 
Exodus  and  the  history  of  that  and  of  the  subsequent  times  were 
known  and  recorded  amongst  the  Jews,  and  that  the  prophets  fre- 
quently referred  to  these  events  as  undoubted  and  undeniable.  We 
further  learn  from  the  twenty-third  verse  of  the  same  chapter,  that 
however  wrong  the  people  may  have  acted,  the  pious  man  is  not  au- 
thorised to  withhold  praying  for  them  and  teaching  them  the  way  of 
right,  and  in  this  respect  we  see  that  Samuel  imitated  Moses  ;  and 
if  we  compare  the  lives  of  these  two  men,  unsurpassed  by  any  men 
of  any  age,  we  must  acknowledge  that  Samuel  must  have  known  the 
history  of  Moses,  and  followed  him  as  a  prototype. — In  the  four- 


164  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

teenth  chapter  we  have  an  account  of  the  mode  of  slaughtering  cat- 
tle for  the  use  of  the  people  (i.  e.  not  for  sacrifices) ;  and  we  shall 
discover,  on  examination,  that  the  custom  amongst  us  of  cutting  the 
throat  of  the  beasts  is  conformable  to  ancient  usage,  and  according 
to  the  allusion  contained  in  Deut.  chap.  xii.  v.  21. 

Though  it  may  not  be  altogether  relevant  to  the  subject  under 
consideration,  I  cannot  omit  to  notice  what  is  said  in  the  twentieth 
chapter  about  the  days  of  the  new-moon.  We  find  related,  that  the 
two  first  days  of  the  month  were  celebrated  in  the  palace  of  Saul,  as 
is  done  yet  at  this  time,  (and  of  these  two  days,  the  first  is  considered 
as  belonging  to  the  past,  and  the  second  to  the  new  month,)  which 
proves  that  our  mode  of  calculating  time  is  of  the  highest  antiquity. 
From  the  26th  verse  of  this  chapter  it  appears  that  the  laws  rela- 
tive to  clean  and  unclean,  as  laid  down  by  Moses  in  Leviticus  and 
elsewhere,  were  practised,  and  therefore  must  have  been  known  in 
the  days  of  Samuel  and  Saul.  According  to  chap.  xxi.  v.  7,  the 
commandment  relative  to  the  show  bread  (Lev.  chap.  xxiv.  v.  8,) 
was  known  and  practised  in  those  days,  and  in  the  twenty-eighth 
chapter  it  is  recorded  that  Saul  had  removed  all  wizards  out  of  the 
land,  agreeably  to  Lev.  chap.  xx.  v.  27,  and  several  other  passages 
in  the  Pentateuch. 

As  the  second  book  of  Samuel  contains  but  few  illustrations  of 
the  mode  of  worship  amongst  our  ancestors,  and  of  the  manner  in 
which  they  observed  the  law,  I  shall  commence  at  once  with  the 
first  book  of  Kings. — In  chap.  ii.  v.  30,  we  read,  that  Joab  who, 
though  he  was  the  greatest  general  of  that  or  perhaps  any  other  age, 
had  committed  two  murders,  which  he  perhaps  did  not  consider  in 
that  light,  fled  to  the  altar  of  the  Lord  as  to  a  place  of  refuge  ;  he 
refused  to  leave  the  sanctuary,  and  was  therefore  killed  where  he 
was,  conformably  to  Exodus,  chap.  xxi.  v.  14. — Chapter  vii.  v.  50, 
we  read  that  Solomon  made  the  vessels  of  the  temple  in  the  manner 
laid  down  by  Moses.  (Exo.  chap.  xxv.  v.  38,  and  ibid.  chap,  xxvii. 
v.  3.) — The  tables  of  the  covenant  were  in  the  ark  (1  Kings,  chap, 
viii.  v.  9,)  as  related  by  Moses.  (Exodus  chap.  xl.  v.  20.) — The  fes- 
tivals also  were  known  and  observed,  as  we  are  told  in  1  Kings  chap, 
viii.  v.  65,  since  we  are  informed  there,  that  Solomon  and  all  Israel 
with  him,  observed  the  feast  (of  Tabernacles),  and  further,  that  in- 
stead of  eight  they  celebrated  fourteen  days,  the  additional  six  no 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  165 

doubt  in  honour  of  the  consecration  of  the  house. — In  chap.  xi.  v.  1, 
Solomon  is  censured  for  marrying  females  not  belonging  to  his  na- 
tion. (See  Deut.  chap.  vii.  v.  3 — 4.) — In  chap.  xiv.  v.  15,  the  wife  of 
Jereboam  was  notified  by  the  blind  prophet  of  Shiloh  that  the  nation 
should  be  driven  out  of  their  land  and  sent  beyond  the  river  Eu- 
phrates, for  their  disobedience.  (Deut.  chap.  xi.  v.  16 — 17.)  In  the 
same  chapter  v.  24,  is  recorded,  among  other  crimes  committed  by 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  their  infraction  of  the  commandment  found  in 
Deut.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  18.  We  read  in  the  first  verse  of  the  seven- 
teenth chapter,  that  Elijah,  surnamed  Thishby,*  swore  by  the  Eternal 
God,  whose  servant  he  was,  that  there  should  be  neither  dew  nor  rain 
for  three  years,  as  was  threatened  by  Moses.  (Deut.  chap.  xi.  v-  17.) 
Let  us  pause  here  a  little,  and  look  at  the  fearless  messenger  of  God, 
who  despising  all  worldly  comforts,  and  clothed  in  a  garment  made  of 
hair,  with  a  thong  of  leather  for  a  girdle,  advanced  boldly  to  carry 
the  message  of  the  Eternal  his  God  to  that  king,  who  more  than 
any  other  of  his  predecessors  despised  and  persecuted  the  messen- 
gers of  the  true  God. — In  the  conclusion  of  the  sixteenth  chapter  we 
are  informed  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  Chiale  rebuilt  Yericho, 
but  that  all  his  children  died,  as  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  had  foretold. f 
We  are  told  in  tradition,  that  Achab,  who  pretended  to  disbelieve 
Moses,  said  to  Elijah  :  "  See  here,  the  curse  of  the  scholar,  Joshua, 
is  fulfilled,  whilst  that  of  the  master,  Moses,  and  his  predictions,  are 
not  verified  by  the  event ;  for  did  he  not  say,  that  when  the  Israel- 
ites should  become  idolatrous,  there  should  be  no  rain,  and  are  we 
not  blessed  with  plenty,  though  we  worship  what  Moses  calls  idols  V* 
It  was  then  that  Elijah  swore  the  dreadful  oath,  and  the  prediction 
of  Moses  was  verified  to  the  fullest  extent ;  for  three  years  no  rain 
fell  to  enrich  the  worn-out  land,  and  the  parched  soil  was  not  refreshed 
by  the  gentle  dews  of  heaven. — During  all  this  time  the  most  pious 
of  mankind  was  obliged  to  conceal  himself,  for  his  exposing  himself 
then  would  have  answered  no  good  purpose,  save  to  irritate  the  more 
strongly  the  hatred  of  the  sinful  king  of  the  Israelites ;  but  when 
the  time  of  his  prediction  was  drawing  to  a  close,  Elijah  again  ap- 
peared before  the  king,  and  after  having  demonstrated  the  greatness 

*  The  same  prophet  spoken  of  above,  chap.  xxi. 
t  See  Joshua,  chap.  vi.  v.  26. 


166  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

and  the  truth  of  the  Eternal,  the  God  of  Israel,  rain  again  visited  the 
land  which  was  suffering  from  severe  famine.  I  have  already  ex- 
plained (chap,  xxi.)  the  sacrifice  of  Elijah  upon  Carmel,  immediately 
after  which  he  ordered  the  prophets  of  Baal  to  be  killed  and  none 
escaped.  (Deut.  chap.  xvii.  v.  5.)  Again  was  Elijah  threatened  by 
Izabel,  the  wicked  wife  of  the  wicked  Achab ;  but  he  was  protected 
by  God  and  escaped  to  Horeb,  the  mount  from  which  the  law 
had  been  given. — Achab  had  endeavoured  to  dispossess  Naboth 
peaceably  of  his  paternal  inheritance  ;  but  this  noble  Israelite  refused 
to  act  contrary  to  the  law  of  Moses,  (Lev.  chap.  xxv.  v.  23,  and 
Numb.  chap,  xxxvi.  v.  9,)  though  he  must  have  known,  that  a  man 
so  regardless  of  all  moral  and  religious  duties,  who  moreover  was  in 
a  measure  governed  by  a  wife  even  more  than  himself  addicted  to 
all  sinful  passions  and  desires,  would  not  stop  at  any  thing  to  obtain 
that  which  he  desired. — In  short,  Naboth  was  killed,  as  we  are  in- 
formed in  1  Kings,  chap.  xxi. ;  and  when  Achab  went  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  land  acquired  in  so  illegal  a  manner,  he  was  met  by 
Elijah,  who  then  communicated  to  him  the  downfal  and  utter  de- 
struction of  his  house. — Let  the  reader  notice  that  it  was  Elijah, 
who  carried  this  message  to  the  king,  before  whom  he  was  flying, 
and  we  thus  have  the  strongest  and  clearest  possible  evidence,  that 
Elijah  was  one  of  those  prophets  like  Moses,  whom  God  had  promised 
to  raise  up  unto  Israel,  (Deut.  chap,  xviii.  v.  18,)  who  were  to  be 
fearless  of  consequences  and  only  intent  upon  executing  the  will  of 
Heaven ;  and  this  was  also  clearly  exemplified  by  the  perilous  reply 
of  the  prophet  Amos,  to  the  idolatrous  priest  Amaziah,  as  he  boldly 
declared  his  intention  of  not  complying  with  the  command  of  the 
latter,  although  his  life  was  thereby  put  in  jeopardy.  (See  Amos, 
chap.  vii.  v.  16.) 

After  Elijah  had  been  taken  to  heaven,  his  disciple  Elisha  was 
the  acknowledged  prophet,  and  before  him  all  the  worshippers  of 
idols  quailed,  no  less  heathens  than  the  sinners  of  Israel,  for  all  were 
afraid  to  injure  the  exalted  man  through  whom  God  spoke* — A  wo- 
man in  Shunam  had  been  blessed  with  a  son,  as  Elisha  had  promised 
her ;  this  child  died,  and  the  Shunamith,  (i.  e.  a  female  resident  of 
Shunam,)  concealing  this  mournful  occurrence  from  her  husband, 
prepared  to  go  to  the  man  of  God.  Her  husband,  not  knowing  the 
cause  of  her  sudden  departure,  asked  her :  "  Why'she  would  go  that 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  107 

day,  since  it  was  neither  new-moon  nor  Sabbath  V  I  do  not  think 
that  there  is  any  mention  made  of  the  Sabbath  in  any  passage  pre- 
ceding this,  and  we  have  here  at  least  satisfactory  evidence,  that  the 
Sabbath  was  not  alone  known  before  the  Babylonian  captivity,  but 
that  on  this  day  the  people  resorted  to  the  prophets,  and  since  the 
prophets  taught  the  laws  of  God,  we  may  also  add,  that  in  all  pro- 
bability other  men  were  visited,  who,  though  not  prophets,  taught 
the  life  dispensing  words  of  the  law. — The  Shunamith  gave  her  hus- 
band an  evasive  answer,  and  sought  out  the  prophet,  upon  whose 
intercession  the  dead  child  was  revived,  and  restored  in  this  manner 
by  the  manifest  help  of  God  to  its  overjoyed  mother.  (2  Kings, 
chap,  iv.) 

In  the  thirteenth  chapter  is  recorded  the  death  of  Elisha,  and  that 
the  king  of  Mesopotamia  did  the  Israelites  much  mischief;  but  it  is 
said,  v.  23  :  "  That  God  had  compassion  on  them  on  account  of  his 
covenant  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  so  that  He  would  not  de- 
stroy them  altogether."  Let  the  reader  compare  this  verse  with 
Moses's  prophecy  in  Leviticus,  chap.  xxvi.  v.  42 — 45,  and  then  de- 
termine whether  or  not  the  writer*  of  the  second  book  of  Kings  was 
acquainted  with  the  present  Pentateuch.     1  am  well  aware  that  the 

*  I  am  unable  to  determine  who  is  the  author  of  the  book,  of  which  we  are 
now  treating,  though  it  must  be  either  Jeremiah,  Baruch,  or  some  one  of  their 
contemporaries  and  friends  ;  for  this  reason :  this  and  the  book  of  the  prophecies 
of  Jeremiah  both  conclude  with  an  account  of  Jeconiah's  being  greatly  favoured 
by  Eveel  Merodoch  the  successor  of  Nebuchadnezzar  ;  no  mention  whatever  is 
made  of  Ezra,  Daniel,  or  Zerubabel,  nor  of  the  return  of  the  captives,  and  we 
must  therefore  conclude  that  the  writer  of  this  book  must  have  been  ignorant  of 
the  fulfilment  of  Jeremiah's  prophecy,  and  of  course  that  it  must  have  been  ex- 
isting in  its  present  state  previous  to  Ezra,  who,  therefore,  could  have  had 
no  agency  whatever  in  compiling  this  or  any  of  the  preceding  books. — It  may 
be,  that  it  was  written  by  different  persons,  or  rather  that  Jeremiah  or  Baruch 
compiled  it  from  authentic  sources ;  as  upon  referring  to  chap.  xix.  v.  20,  will 
be  found  a  passage  purporting  to  be  a  prophecy  of  Isaiah.  Now  the  manner  of 
Isaiah  is  so  very  unique  and  his  style  so  sublime,  that  no  one  can  mistake  its 
authenticity  ;  in  fact,  it  is  the  same,  with  some  few  verbal  differences,  with  the 
thirty-seventh  chapter  of  the  book  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah. — He  was  an  eye- 
witness of  the  events  he  relates  in  his  book,  and  it  has  accordingly  the  strongest 
claims  to  be  generally  accredited,  and  we  have  therefore  sufficient  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  the  other  sources  of  the  second  book  of  Kings  are  equally  authentic 
with  the  nineteenth  chapter. 


168  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

passage  in  Leviticus  referred  to,  seems  to  hint  at  a  time  when  the 
Israelites  should  be  captives  in  a  foreign  land ;  yet  v/e  may  reason- 
ably conclude,  that  the  promise  held  out  for  preserving  the  Israelites 
in  a  foreign  land,  does  also  include  their  preservation  from  annihila- 
tion in  their  own  country. 

We  find  in  chap.  xiv.  v.  6,  that  Amaziah,  king  of  Judah,  having 
killed  the  conspirators  who  slew  his  father,  suffered  their  children  to 
live,  because  it  was  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  of  Moses,  by  the 
command  of  God :  "  The  parents  shall  not  be  killed  on  account  of 
the  children,  nor  the  children  on  account  of  the  parents,  but  each 
shall  die  for  his  own  sins."  (Compare  with  Deut.  chap.  xxiv.  v.  16.) 
Azariah  or  Uziah,  the  son  of  Amaziah,  attempted  to  usurp  the 
priestly  office  by  entering  the  temple  with  incense ;  but  he  was 
punished  with  leprosy,  although  he  had  led  a  virtuous  life  previous- 
ly ;  and  he  experienced  thus  the  punishment  denounced  (Numb, 
chap.  xvii.  v.  5,)  against  the  violaters  of  the  priestly  privileges,  (2 
Kings,  chap.  xv.  v.  5,  and  2  Chron.  chap.  xxvi.  v.  19,)  and  was  kept 
apart  from  the  habitations  of  other  men,  like  any  other  leper  would 
have  been.  (Numb.  chap.  v.  v.  3.) — The  history  of  the  carrying 
off  the  Israelites  captives,  is  given  in  2  Kings,  chap,  xvii ;  and  the 
reason  for  this  punishment  is  there  said  to  be  their  having  acted 
contrary  to  the  commandments  given  them ;  and  among  other  sins 
enumerated  is  their  having  done  like  the  nations  around  them,  con- 
trary to  what  is  commanded  in  Lev.  chap,  xviii.  v.  3.  and  Deut. 
chap.  xii.  v.  29. — In  chap,  xviii.  v.  4,  we  are  told,  that  Hezekiah, 
son  of  Achaz,  king  of  Judah,  broke  the  copper  serpent,  which  Moses 
had  made  by  the  command  of  God,  (Numb.  chap.  xxi.  v.  8,)  be- 
cause it  had  become  an  object  of  adoration  to  the  people,  who,  in 
the  time  of  Achaz,  were  mad  enough  to  worship  any  thing.  We 
read  also,  v.  5,  that  Hezekiah  confided  entirely  in  the  Eternal,  the 
God  of  Israel ;  and  that  he  was  more  pious  than  any  king  of  Judah 
who  went  before  him  or  came  after  him,  and  (v.  6,)  that  he  adhered 
to  the  Eternal,  and  observed  the  precepts  which  God  had  command- 
ed to  Moses. — In  chap,  xxiii.  v.  21 — 23,  we  have  an  account  of  the 
Passover-feast  having  been  celebrated  by  Josiah,  and  it  is  also  said 
there,  that  no  Passover  was  ever  held  in  so  solemn  a  manner  since 
the  days  of  the  Judges.     Josiah  also  read  the  book  of  the  law  to 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIK1.E.  169 

the  people,  which  was  also  in  accordance  with  the  law  as  it  now 
stands. 

We  have  in  the  above  instances  a  concurrent  mass  of  evidence  to 
prove  beyond  all  doubt  the  assertion  :  that  the  law  now  acknowledged 
as  the  Mosaic  is,  in  every  respect,  the  same  as  that  considered  and 
obeyed  as  such  before  the  Babylonian  captivity ;  for  it  will  be  disco- 
vered, that  from  Joshua  to  Jeremiah  all  the  books  of  the  law,  to  wit : 
Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Numbers,  and  Deuteronomy,  are  indis- 
criminately spoken  of  as  existing,  and  that  the  Israelites  either 
obeyed  the  precepts  they  contain,  or  were  reproved  and  punished  if 
they  neglected  them. 

1  shall  now  subjoin  a  few  extracts  from  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah,  re- 
lative to  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  and  one  from  the  latter  in 
relation  to  servants,  and  then  close  this  subject,  which  I  am  afraid 
has  been  spun  out  already  to  too  great  a  length. 

Isaiah,  chap.  lvi.  v.  2  :  "  Happy  is  the  man  who  does  this,  and  the 
son  of  Adam  who  remains  steady  in  it ;  who  observes  the  Sabbath* 
and  does  not  violate  it,  and  withholds  his  hand  from  doing  any  evil." 

Isaiah  chap,  lviii.  v.  13 — 14  :  "  If  thou  restrainest  thy  foot  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  refrainest  from  doing  what  thou  desirest  on  my  holy 
day,  and  callest  the  Sabbath  a  delight,  honoured  as  a  holy  (day)  of 
the  Lord,  and  thou  honourest  it  (the  day)  by  abstaining  from  doing 
thy  ways,  (usual  occupations,)  or  seeking  thy  own  pleasures,  or  speak- 
ing words  (i.  e.  conversing  about  business,  see  above,  chap,  xiii.)  :  then 
shalt  thou  find  delight  in  the  Lord,  and  I  will  cause  thee  to  ascend 
upon  the  high  places  of  the  land,  and  will  let  thee  enjoy  the  heritage 
of  thy  father  Jacob, — for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  spoken  it." 

Jeremiah,  chap.  xvii.  21 — 22  :  "  Thus  says  the  Lord,  take  heed 
for  yourselves,  and  bear  no  burden  on  the  Sabbath-day,  nor  bring 
it  into  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  ;  neither  carry  any  burden  from  your 
houses  on  the  Sabbath-day,  nor  do  any  manner  of  work ;  but  sanc- 
tify it,  as  I  have  commanded  your  fathers."  (See  also  v.  27,  of  the 
same  chapter.) 

Jeremiah,  chap,  xxxiv.  v.  13  :  "  Thus  says  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
I  have  made  a  covenant  with  your  fathers,  at  the  time  I  brought  them 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  from  the  house  of  slavery,  and  said  :  (v.  14,) 
At  the  end  of  seven  years  you  shall  each  let  go  his  brother  the  Hebrew, 
who  has  been  sold  unto  thee,  and  when  he  has  served  thee  six  years 
22 


170  THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

thou  shalt  let  him  go  free  from  thee."  (Exodus,  chap.  xxi.  v.  2,  and 
Deut.  chap.  xv.  v.  12.) 

I  deem  it  altogether  superfluous  to  produce  any  other  instances 
from  the  many  which  offer  themselves,  to  establish  that  which  has 
been  so  clearly  proven  already,  that,  namely,  the  books  we  now  have 
are  in  fact  those  given  to  Moses,  for  every  passage  found  in  the 
histories  and  the  prophets  referring  to  the  law  can  be  easily  traced 
back  to  the  books  of  our  Pentateuch.  From  this  striking  coinci- 
dence it  follows,  that  the  Hebrew  prophets  and  historians  agreed 
precisely  with  one  another,  and  there  can  for  this  reason  be  no  dis- 
crepancy in  their  statements.  This  is  a  strong  evidence  in  favour 
of  their  inspiration,  since  we  never  find  two  profane  historians  or 
preachers  write  or  speak,  as  if  they  were  animated  by  one  mind. 
To  assert  that  all  the  books  of  the  Hebrew  canon  were  written  by 
one  man  is  too  ridiculous  to  merit  refutation,  since  the  difference  in 
style  and  dialect  is  so  great,  and  each  prophet  and  inspired  writer 
is  withal  in  his  own  way  so  perfect,  that  it  is  absolutely  impossible 
to  entertain  such  an  idea.  It  is  true,  that  some  few  men  have  been 
good  prose  writers  and  good  poets  at  the  same  time ;  but  1  venture 
to  assert,  though  yet  inexperienced,  that  that  man  never  lived  who 
was  capable  of  speaking  like  Moses,  inditing  songs  like  David,  moral- 
ising like  Solomon,  rousing  the  passions  like  Isaiah,  and  melting  the 
heart  like  Jeremiah.  If  indeed  a  man  uniting  such  qualifications  ever 
was  or  ever  will  be,  he  deserves  to  be  obeyed  ;  and  I  am  sure  that 
all  mankind,  except  perhaps  the  envious,  would  willingly  become  his 
followers.  It  is  therefore  impossible  that  any  one  man  could  have 
composed  the  whole  Bible  ;  but  1  may  go  a  step  farther,  and  say  : 
"  That  these  books  were  not  composed  or  compiled  at  one  time,  even 
by  different  persons ;"  and  this  for  the  following  reason.  It  is  well 
known,  that,  however  different  their  style,  a  great  resemblance  will 
still  be  discovered  in  their  manner  of  writing  amongst  authors  of 
one  age  ;  there  is  generally,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  a  connect- 
ing link,  which  binds  the  republic  of  letters  together.  Now  granted 
even,  that  Ezra  and  his  great  council  were  men  of  the  greatest 
talents — and  none  is  more  ready  to  acknowledge  this  fact,  than  the 
Jews,  and  particularly  the  humble  writer  of  these  pages  : — yet  I  am 
sure,  that  every  reasonable  man,  who  has  independence  enough  to 
judge  for  himself,  in  despite  of  the  little  quibbles  of  those  who  doubt 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  BIBLE.  171 

the  truth  of  our  Bible,  will  acknowledge,  that  it  is  highly  improba- 
ble, not  to  say  impossible,  to  believe,  that  at  a  time  when  the  Hebrew 
language  had  ceased  to  be  generally  spoken,  and  when  its  purity 
was  destroyed  by  the  admixture  of  foreign  words,  there  should  have 
been  men  skilful  enough  to  write  the  books  of  Job,  Jeremiah's  La- 
mentations, Isaiah,  David's  Psalms,  and  the  Song  of  Solomon,  not 
to  mention  the  books  of  Moses,  which  show,  as  clearly  as  any  writ- 
ings can  do,   the  extraordinary  and  diversified  acquirements  and 
talents  of  the  author,  or  even  authors  if  you  will,  though  neither  1 
nor  any  other  Jew  will  admit  the  latter.     It  is   almost  needless  to 
mention,  that  a  great  part  of  the  books  of  Daniel  and  Ezra  is  writ- 
ten in  the  Chaldean  language,  and  even  the  Hebrew,  which  these 
two  writers  use,  is,  though  very  appropriate  and  expressive,  not  at 
all  to  be  compared  to  the  writings  just  above  enumerated  in  clas- 
sical purity  of  style.     Haggai,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi,  the  three 
last  prophets,  equally  with  the  inspired  writers  of  their  age,  made 
use  of  a  language  which  clearly  proves,  that  it  had  ceased  to  be  so 
well  cultivated  as  in  the  days  of  Samuel  and  Hezekiah.     This  does 
not  at  all  diminish  the  credibility  of  these  prophets — God  forbid  ! 
let  the  reader  but  bear  in  mind  what  has  been  said  above  in  regard 
to  the  nature  of  prophecy  (chap,  xxi.)  :  that  the  prophets  were  only 
instructed  what  to  say,  but  not  how  to  speak ;  and  this  was  very  pro- 
per, for,  since  they  were  to  instruct  the  people,  it  was  necessary 
that  they  should  use  language  which  they  themselves,  and  the  peo- 
ple to  whom  they  were  sent,  well  understood.     From  the  whole  of 
the  above  remarks  it  follows,  that  the  various  books  composing  the 
canon  of  what  is  called  the  Old  Testament  were  written  at  different 
times,  and  mostly  by  those  persons  who  were  the  chief  agents  them- 
selves.    These  men  were  all  inspired,  and  could,  therefore,  not  err. 
(See  above  chap,  xxi.)     Hence  it  is  that  they  all  agree  so  well,  and 
that  one  always  confirms  the  assertions  of  the  other.     Since  now 
the  Bible  was  and  is  yet  the  book  chiefly  studied  by  the  Jews ;  and 
as  it  contains  such  a  fund  of  learning  and  instruction,  we  must  con- 
clude that  the  Jews  were  a  highly  civilised,  though  simple  and  un- 
ostentatious people,  immediately  after  the  conquest  of  the  land  ;  and 
it  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  that,  being  once  acquainted  with  such  a 
book,    they  should  always  hold  to   it  as  their  principal  support 
and  adviser.     We  never  can  consent  to  part  with  it,  or  receive 


172  THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP. 

any  thing  in  addition  to  or  in  lieu  of  it.  Many  have  railed  against 
us  for  observing  that  which  one  party  thinks  insufficient,  the  other 
superfluous ;  but  as  long  as  they  are  unable  to  give  us  any  thing 
better,  or  even  any  thing  at  all  approaching  it  in  value,  we  must  hold 
that  close  which  we  now  so  happily  possess.  The  world  has  never 
seen  a  series  of  books  so  consistent  and  so  full  of  wholesome  advice  ; 
and  can  we  be  blamed  for  refusing  to  cast  off  that  which  is  so  high- 
ly serviceable  ?  Who  can  call  us  bigots,  but  the  very  bigoted  infi- 
del himself — and  are  not  most  infidels  bigots  1  Who  dares  to  call 
us  sceptics,  but  that  unlearned  and  blind  zealot,  who  knows  not  what 
he  is  about  1 — Let  me  then  advise  you,  all  who  are  the  enemies  of 
our  faith  and  nation,  to  beware  how  you  touch  the  holy  ark  of  our 
faith — to  beware  how  you  harm  the  Israelites,  for  he  who  toucheth 
them,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye,  says  the  prophet  Zechariah, 
and  know  also,  that  God  will  again  assert  the  dignity  of  his  holy 
name,  and  again  have  compassion  on  Israel ! 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


THE  HEBREW  WORSHir. 


The  next  point  of  enquiry  is  :  "  Have  not  the  Jewish  teachers  of 
the  law  imposed  unnecessary  burdens  upon  the  people,  subsequently 
to  their  return  from  Babylon  ?"  Every  one  knows  how  easy  it  is  to 
denounce  any  body  of  men  however  exalted,  and  it  is  at  the  same 
time  most  curious,  that  those  who  denounce  others  do  so,  for  the 
most  part,  without  producing  any  other  proof  of  their  being  in  the 
right,  than  their  own  potent  dictum.  This  has  been  done,  1  may 
say,  by  all  those  who  have  been  so  bitter  against  the  wise  men 
amongst  the  Jews,  known  at  different  times  under  the  names  of 
Scribes,  Pharisees,  and  lastly,  Rabbins.  It  therefore  remains  now 
to  be  enquired  into,  if  in  fact  the  rabbinical  institutions  are  contrary 


THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP.  173 

to  the  written  law,  and  therefore  unlawful  and  useless,  or  if  they  are 
conformable  to  the  laws  and  the  prophets,  and  therefore  proper  and 
necessary. — But  let  me  premise,  that  it  is  an  error,  though  a  very 
common  one,  that  the  Rabbins  had  their  origin  only  in  the  time  im- 
mediately preceding  the  destruction  of  the  second  temple  :  for  if  we 
come  to  investigate  the  Jewish  antiquities  and  to  fix  the  period  of  the 
first  rise  of  these  Scribes,  we  must  at  least  lay  it  in  the  days  of  Ezra, 
for  to  him  and  his  council  are  ascribed  the  first  rabbinical  insti- 
tutions. 

A  great  outcry  has  of  late  been  raised  against  the  use  of  the 
sacred  language,  the  Hebrew,  in  our  worship,  because  this  language 
is  no  more  universally  spoken,  and  but  little  understood.  Several 
attempts  have  therefore  been  made  to  substitute  the  languages  of  the 
countries  in  which  we  are  dispersed,  in  lieu  of  the  Hebrew.  Of 
course  the  Rabbins  have  been  saddled  with  all  the  blame  and  odium, 
as  having  been  the  first  to  force  this  mode  of  worship  in  an  un- 
known tongue  upon  the  Jews,  and  some  good  souls,  more  afraid  of 
disturbing  the  conscience  of  others,  than  regardful  of  their  own  vir- 
tue and  piety,  have  even  dared  to  talk  of  thus  restoring  the  purity  of 
Judaism,  as  if  any  impurity  had  ever  been  added.  But  let  us  inves- 
tigate this  subject  without  prejudice  and  partiality,  and  then  deter- 
mine according  to  the  light  which  can  be  thrown  upon  it  in  the  few 
following  observations. 

"  Did  those  men,  generally  called  Rabbins, /brce  the  Hebrew,  con- 
trary to  reason,  upon  the  people,  and  should  it  therefore  be  dispensed 
with  ?  or  is  the  establishment  of  that  language  an  ordinance  ema- 
nating from  the  prophets,  and  which  consequently  ought  not  to  be 
abolished?" 

We  read  (Nehemiah,  chap.  xiii.  v.  24,):  "  And  half  of  their  chil- 
dren spoke  the  language  of  Ashdod,  and  did  not  understand  the 
Jewish."  It  will  from  this  single  verse  be  discovered,  that  the  He- 
brew had  ceased  to  be  universally  spoken,  as  early  as  the  days  of 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  These  two  men  were  assisted  in  their  re-or- 
ganisation of  the  Hebrew  commonwealth  by  the  three  last  prophets, 
Haggai,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi.  If  then  they  established  the  He- 
brew to  be  read  in  the  Synagogues  in  their  time,  we  must  admit,  as 
believers  in  revelation,  that  this  was  necessary  for  the  promotion  of 
the  proper  worship  ;  and  that  they  did  establish  the  Hebrew  to  be 


!74  THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP. 

read  publicly,  is  clearly  deducible  from  Nehemiah  viii.  v.  7 — 8 ;  for 
according  to  this  passage  all  that,  which  Ezra  read,  was  explained 
to  the  people  by  the  men  named  as  being  near  him  ;  and  thus  it  hap- 
pened, that  though  the  Hebrew  was  not  understood  by  a  great  part  of 
those  present,  Ezra  did  nevertheless  make  use  of  it,  but  it  was  explained 
to  the  people  in  a  language  and  dialect  they  understood.  The  expoun- 
der of  the  law  was  called  |D;ninn  (Methurgeman)  or  translator, 
and  we  find  such  a  personage  mentioned  after  the  destruction  of  the 
ten^le.  At  present  however  this  has  become  by  far  less  necessary 
than  formerly  ;  for  at  that  time  books  were  scarce  and  could  be  pro- 
cured by  comparatively  few,  owing  to  the  great  difficulty  of  multi- 
plying copies ;  but  now  the  art  of  printing  has  reduced  the  price  of 
books  so  low,  the  religious  books  especially,  being  printed  in  such 
immense  quantities,  that  every  individual,  however  poor, can  procure 
himself  the  Bible  and  the  prayer-books.  Then  again  all  parts  of  the 
Bible  are  carefully  translated,  as  are  also  the  prayers,  and  it  is  there- 
fore easy  for  every  person  desiring  it,  and  capable  of  receiving  in- 
formation of  any  kind,  to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  meaning 
of  the  law  and  of  the  prayers  in  general,  though  he  may  be  altogether 
ignorant  of  the  holy  language.*  Let  me  not  however  be  misunder- 
stood, as  saying  that  the  Rabbins  forbade  the  use  of  every  language 
other  than  the  Hebrew  in  public  and  private  worship ;  on  the  con- 
trary, they  permitted  the  use  of  any  language  understood  by  the  in- 
dividual praying,  nor  is  the  language  of  the  country  prohibited  in 
public  worship.  (Orach  Hayim,  Laws  of  Prayer,  chap.  ci.  §.  4.)  It 
will  therefore  be  evident,  that  the  use  of  foreign  tongues  explanatory 
of  the  Hebrew  service  is  permitted,  but  the  recital  of  the  regular 
prayers,  the  reading  of  the  law,  and  the  portion  from  the  prophets, 
must  ever  be  in  the  holy  and  original  language. 

The  greater  part  of  the  daily  and  Sabbath  prayers  were  composed 
before  the  destruction  of  the  second  temple, — some  say  by  Ezra  and 

*  In  Germany  and  the  adjacent  countries  the  price  of  Hebrew  books  in  gen- 
eral use  is  uncommonly  low,  and  every  family,  without  exception,  is  provided 
with  the  necessary  prayer-books  and  at  least  the  Pentateuch.  The  access  to  in- 
formation is  so  easy  to  the  poor  and  unlettered,  that  it  is  not  uncommon  to  hear 
a  man,  who  would  be  supposed  to  be  ignorant,  discussing  the  moral,  religious, 
and  ceremonial  duties  of  our  law,  in  a  manner  which  would  not  disgrace  a  man 
of  learning  and  high  standing  in  society. 


THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP.  175 

his  associates — as  may  be  easily  gathered  from  several  passages  in 
the  Talmud,  particularly  the  Massacheth  Berachothe  (Tractate  of 
Prayers)  in  which  are  enumerated  the  Berachothe  or  blessings  to  be 
said  before  and  after  the  Shemang.*  To  any  person  acquainted  with 
the  Mishnah  it  would  be  entirely  superfluous  to  draw  his  attention  to 
this  subject,  and  to  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  it,  I  hope  it 
will  be  satisfactory  enough,  that  the  fact  is  stal,ed  in  general  terms 
without  citing  the  several  passages.  Having  thus  seen  that  the  use 
of  the  Hebrew  was  established  as  far  back  as  the  days  of  the  last 
prophets,  it  remains  to  be  enquired :  "  Would  it  be  expedient,  if  we 
had  the  right  to  do  so,  to  abolish  the  use  of  our  holy  language,  and 
substitute  the  languages  of  the  different  countries,  in  whose  bounda- 
ries the  Israelites  now  sojourn  ?" — Let  it  be  considered,  that  our 
abode  in  the  countries,  where  we  now  reside,  must  not  be  considered 
as  a  permanent  location  ;  but  God  forbid,  that  I  should  insinuate,  that 
we  are  to  consider  ourselves  absolved  from  allegiance  to  the  govern- 
ments and  obedience  to  the  municipal  laws  of  the  countries  in  which 
we  are  protected,  for  this  would  be  contrary  to  what  we  are  com- 
manded by  God,  through  his  faithful  servant  Jeremiah  (chap.  xxix. 
v.  7,)  ;  but  I  would  only  remind  my  brethren,  that  their  abode  in 
any  country,' other  than  Judea,  is  against  their  will.  I  hope  that  I 
am  understood,  but  for  fear  of  any  misconception,  I  will  explain  my- 
self a  little  more  in  detail.  We  were,  in  the  first  instance,  driven 
from  Palestine  by  the  kings  of  Assyria,  (see  several  passages  in  the 
second  book  of  Kings,)  and  next  the  remaining  two  tribes  Judah  and 
Benjamin,  together  with  the  Levites  who  resided  amongst  them, 
were  carried  away  captives  to  Babylon  and  Egyptf  by  Nebuchadnez- 


*  The  Shemang  is  the  celebrated  passage  from  the  sixth  chapter  of  Deuter- 
onomy, commencing  with  the  words  "  Hear,  O  Israel,"  Hebrew :  SaOl?"  $&& 
(Shemcmg  Yisrahale)  whence  its  name.  It  is  read  morning  and  evening,  that  we 
may,  as  our  Rabbins  express  themselves,  receive  the  yoke  of  Heaven,  when  we 
lie  down  and  when  we  rise  up.  The  parallel  passage  from  the  eleventh  of  Deu- 
teronomy, commencing  with  the  words,  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  if  you 
hearken  diligently,  &c."  and  the  conclusion  of  Numb.  xv.  commencing  with 
v.  37,  are  also  read  with  the  Shemang. 

t  Strictly  speaking,  the  king  of  Babylon  did  not  carry  the  Jews  to  Egypt,  for 
they  fled  of  their  own  accord  from  Palestine,  to  escape  his  vengeance,  on  account 
of  the  death  of  Gedaliah.  (See  Jeremiah,  chap  xliii.  v.  7.) 


176  THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP. 

zar  king  of  Babylon.  After  seventy  years  spent  in  captivity  the 
Jews  were  permitted  by  Coresh  (Cyrus)  king  of  Persia,  who  had  sub- 
verted the  Babylonian  empire,  to  return  to  their  own  land.  Those  who 
did  return  were,  with  but  few  exceptions,  either  Levites  or  Jews, 
(Judah  and  Benjamin) ;  but  the  other  ten  tribes  did  not  return,  and 
their  existence  has  been  a  matter  of  doubt  and  speculation  ever  since ; 
though  according  to  some  accounts  they  have  been  lately  discovered 
iryBj^charia,  a  country  in  the  very  heart  of  Asia.  The  Jews,  after 
buying  the  second  temple  (see  Ezra  and  Nehemiah)  lived  for  rather 
better  than  four  hundred  years  in  Palestine,  though  far  from  peace- 
ably or  independently,  as  they  were  often  agitated  by  internal  dis- 
turbance and  molested  by  surrounding  nations ;  but  after  this  time, 
they  were  conquered  by  Vespasian  and  Titus,  Roman  emperors, 
who,  though  they  are  celebrated  for  their  clemency  and  benevolence 
of  disposition,  did  yet  treat  our  ancestors  in  a  manner  too  revolting 
and  too  horrible  for  words  to  describe.  The  remainder  of  the  Jews 
not  yet  carried  off  by  these  barbarous  emperors,  (for  such  they  were 
to  us  at  least,)  were  driven  out  by  Trajan  and  Hadrian,  for  which  1 
refer  to  the  histories  of  those  days. — It  will  be  discovered  from  this 
account  of  our  people,  that  our  abode  out  of  Palestine  is  any  thing 
but  voluntary  on  our  part.  Our  expulsion  from  our  land  was  owing 
to  our  deviation  from  that  holy  law,  which  God,  in  his  kindness  and 
superabundant  mercy,  bestowed  upon  our  forefathers.  Our  continua- 
tion in  captivity  is  to  be  ascribed  solely  to  our  not  yet  having  re- 
formed our  conduct  sufficiently  to  merit  the  return  of  the  blessings 
promised  in  Deut.  chap.  xxx.  (which  see).  It  is  well  known  that 
we  hope  to  be  ultimately  restored  to  our  land,  and  that  this  hope  is 
well  founded  has  been  shown,  1  trust  to  every  man's  satisfaction  in 
chapter  xxii. — Our  residence  in  all  countries,  save  one,  must 
therefore  be  considered  as  a  sojourning,  though  this  is  of  ne- 
cessity for  an  unlimited  time  ;  for,  as  we  understand  the  prophecies, 
there  is  no  specific  period  fixed  in  the  Bible  for  Israel's  restoration, 
but  all  depends  upon  our  being  worthy  of  this  signal  favour.  That  at 
all  events  the  restoration  will  not  be  delayed  for  a  longer  period  than 
God  has  fixed  in  his  own  wisdom,  but  which  He  has  not  imparted  to 
any  man,  is  not  to  be  doubted.  In  short,  if  we  Israelites  are  virtuous, 
our  restoration,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
will  take  place  immediately ;  but  if,  on  the  contrary,  we  continue  in 


THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP.  177 

our  wickedness,  then  at  the  appointed  time. — Since  then  we  are 
strangers,  and  as  the  time  of  our  being  re-united  is  of  necessity  un- 
known, it  behooves  us  to  be  always  united  by  a  certain  bond  of  union, 
to  keep  us  one  people,  though  at  opposite  corners  of  the  globe  ;  and 
secondly,  to  be  united  in  the  closest  manner,  when  our  captives  be 
again  restored  and  assembled  in  a  body  on  the  high-raised  moun- 
tains of  Israel.  We  have  already  a  law  which,  if  properly  observed, 
will  ever  be  that  bond,  which  must,  owing  to  its  great  purity,  bind 
together  the  Israelites  though  the  distance  between  them  be  as  great 
as  from  pole  to  pole.  But  what  would  be  the  scene,  if  upon  our  res- 
toration, we  had  in  the  course  of  time  forgotten  that  very  language, 
in  which  the  law  was  first  given  ?  How  could  we  be  considered  a 
re-united  people,  if  different  languages  were  used  by  the  captives  re- 
turning to  Zion  in  their  mode  of  worshipping  God  ? 

But  even  without  going  so  far  into  the  recesses  of  futurity,  we  can 
find  many  good  reasons  for  employing  the  Hebrew  in  our  prayers, 
and  in  reading  the  law  and  the  other  parts  of  Holy  Writ,  as  it  is  now 
customary  in  the  Synagogues.  Let  it  be  remembered,  that  we  Jews 
are  in  fact  a  wandering  people — we  have  no  rest  for  the  soles  of  our 
feet  (Deut.  chap,  xxviii.  v.  65) :  we  are  either  driven  by  circum- 
stances or  necessity  from  station  to  station,  and  it  may  truly  be 
said,  there  is  hardly  a  spot  on  earth  where  Jews  are  not  to  be  found. 
It  is  for  this  reason  chiefly  that  the  Hebrew  language  ought  to  be 
retained  both  in  public  and  private  worship.  If  a  Jew  come  from 
China  even,  as  our  worship  is  now  constituted,  he  can  enter  any 
Synagogue  even  in  America,  and  worship  his  God  in  company  and 
unison  with  his  brethren  there  assembled.  He  uses  the  Hebrew, 
and  so  do  they.  And  this  is  an  every  day  occurrence ;  for  Jews 
from  every  part  of  the  world  do  meet  and  worship  together,  as  if 
they  were  natives  of  the  same  land.  And  in  our  small  Synagogue 
at  Richmond  are  frequently  assembled  natives  of  America,  Ger- 
many, England,  France,  Poland,  and  Bohemia,  some  of  whom  hard- 
ly understand  English.  They  can  all  join  in  the  worship,  solely 
because  it  is  conducted  in  the  Hebrew,  when  the  use  either  of  the 
English  or  any  other  language  would  evidently  destroy  the  harmony 

thus  existing There  is,  however,  another  very  weighty  reason 

why  the  Hebrew  language  should  be  used,  and  this  is,  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  purity  of  the  law  !  "  But  is  it  possible  that  the  purity  of 
23 


178  THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP. 

the  holy  law  can  be  destroyed  by  the  discontinuance  of  the  Hebrew  ?" 
I  will  not  assert  precisely  that  its  intrinsic  purity  could  be  destroyed 
by  this  or  any  other  means ;  but  it  may  confidently  be  asserted, 
without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  if  the  Hebrew  were  once  dis- 
pensed with  in  our  Synagogues,  the  interpretation  of  the  law  would 
be  rendered  altogether  uncertain,  and  thus  its  extrinsic  purity  would 
be  so  much  marred,  that  it  might  be  considered  destroyed  without  a 
great  stretch  of  the  imagination.  To  establish  this  upon  indisput- 
able grounds,  1  beg  leave  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  indulgent 
reader  to  the  following  exposition. — If  the  Hebrew  language  were 
by  universal  consent  banished  from  our  worship,  it  would  follow,  as 
a  necessary  consequence,  that  translations  or  foreign  originals  must 
be  substituted,  unless  we  would  consent  either  not  to  pray  at  all,  or  to 
suffer  any  fanatic  or  enthusiast  to  pray  for  the  congregation  in  the 
wild  and  mad  strains  which  shock  us  so  much  in  the  worship  of 
some  sects. — If  now  in  addition  to  this  we  should  have  a  transla- 
tion of  the  law  read  to  the  people,  we  would  soon  find  that  no  man 
would  care  to  know  Hebrew.  For  to  what  purpose  should  the  Jew, 
whose  intentions  are  not  to  become  a  classical  scholar  or  a  divine, 
apply  himself  to  the  study  of  a  dead  language,  which  would  be  of 
no  earthly  use  to  him  when  attained  1  Curiosity  would  not,  I  dare  say, 
impel  fifty  out  of  five  hundred  to  engage  in  its  study,  particularly 
as  in  the  case  of  which  we  are  speaking,  they  would  have  authorised 
translations  of  all  the  sacred  books. — It  is  really  deplorable,  that 
not  more  are  engaged  in  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  holy  lan- 
guage— a  language  which  our  ancestors  spoke — a  language  in  which 
the  law  was  given. — But  can  this  be  a  reason  for  banishing  it  alto- 
gether 1  And  that  this  banishment  of  the  Hebrew  would  be  ex- 
tremely injurious  is  susceptible  of  the  easiest  and  plainest  demon- 
stration.— As  it  is,  those  who  altogether  use  translations  of  the 
whole  or  a  part  of  the  Scriptures,  are  frequently  caught  in  making 
the  most  absurd  deductions  from  the  Bible,  which,  upon  examina- 
tion of  the  Hebrew  text,  are  no  where  to  be  met  with.  Let  us  take 
one  example :  there  is  a  trite  saying,  man  is  born  to  sin,  and  many 
have  attempted  to  fortify  this  position  by  reference  to  Psalm  li.  and 
Genesis  vi. ;  and,  if  you  come  to  investigate  the  meaning  of  these 
two  passages,  you  would  be  surprised  that  no  such  thing  is  found  in 
either  of  them  ;  and  this  is  not  all,  for  as  far  as  my  acquaintance 


THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP.  179 

with  the  Jewish  canon  extends,  1  never  could  discover  a  single  pas- 
sage even  to  prove  that  man  was  born  to  sin.  In  the  fifty-first 
psalm,  David  says  :  "  Behold  in  iniquity  I  was  conceived,"  but  not 
to  sin;  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Genesis  we  read,  that  God  determin- 
ed to  destroy  mankind,  "  because  the  desire  of  the  thoughts  of  their 
heart  was  the  whole  day  directed  to  evil ;"  here  is  only  stated  the 
fact,  that  that  generation  had  degenerated,  and  were  perpetually 
intent  how  they  could  do  wrong  ;  not  because  they  were  obliged  to 
do  so,  but  only  because  they  chose  this  course  of  life  in  preference 
to  doing  right. — In  the  eighth  chapter  of  Genesis  we  read  that  God 
said :  "  That  HeVould  never  more  destroy  all  flesh,  as  He  had 
done,  for  the  desire  of  the  heart  of  man  is  evil  from  his  youth." 
Now  this  sentence  cannot  mean  that  he  is  born  to  sin,  and  cannot  of 
his  own  free  will  do  right,  without  intervention  of  grace  ;  but  its 
obvious  and  only  true  meaning  is :  that  as  we  have  desires  and  pas- 
sions, we  are,  from  our  earliest  infancy,  drawn  on  by  these  desires, 
but  we  are  by  no  means  obliged  to  yield  to  them,  for  in  the  fourth 
chapter  God  told  Cain,  that  though  he  were  inclined  to  sin,  he  had 
yet  the  mastery  over  himself,  to  sin  or  not  to  sin ;  of  course  man 
has  the  inherent  power  to  do  right,  though  his  inclinations  should 
point  the  other  way.  But  how  is  he  to  know  what  is  right  ?  Simply 
by  revelation,  and  following  that  course  which  God  had  marked  out 
for  him.  (See  above,  chap,  i.)  The  investigation  of  this  subject 
would  lead  me  too  far,  besides  I  am  fearful  of  engaging  at  present 
in  the  discussion  of  the  philosophy  of  our  law,  as  1  do  not  think 
myself  qualified  to  discuss  the  points  which  it  would  present  to  me, 
as  they  deserve ;  1  will  therefore  rest  here,  only  assuring  the  reader 
that  this  is  not  the  only  popular  error*  which  men  have  attempted 
to  demonstrate  as  true  with  arguments  drawn  from  the  Bible. 

*  The  subjoined  has  been  transmitted  to  me  by  Mr.  Jacob  Mordecai,  the 
same  gentlemen  mentioned  in  a  foregoing  note.  "  The  translators  of  the  Bible  to 
suit  their  purpose,  have  rendered  the  8th  verse  of  the  25th  chap,  of  Isaiah  :  '  He 
will  swallow  up  death  in  victory ;'  if  you  consult  the  Hebrew,  the  error  is  imme- 
diately discovered,  for  we  read :  n^i1?  niDn^1?^?  '  ^e  wu^  swallow  up  death 
for  ever;'  it  is  not  written  pnVJ3  *n  victory,  but  nV^S  forever.  So  that  no 
one  could  have  been  '  victorious  in  death  in  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy.' — 
Again  we  read,  Deut.  chap.  xxx.  v.  19  :  '  Choose  life,'  Psalm  xxxiv.  v.  15:  'Shun 
evil  and  do  good.'  How  then  can  a  man  be  born  to  sin?" 


180  THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP. 

What  I  intend  to  prove  by  the  foregoing  example  is  this.  We 
3&ave  seen  that  by  justly  investigating  the  Bible  we  have  overthrown 
a  position  so  generally  admitted  as  true,  that  to  some  it  may  appear 
to  be  but  little  better  than  scepticism  even  to  doubt  it. — If  the  He- 
brew language  were  now  altogether  neglected,  as  some  desire,  we 
should  be  unable  to  make  these  investigations.  Whatever  were  as- 
serted upon  the  authority  of  any  translation,  would  then  of  course 
pass  for  sound  truth,  and  instead  of  Holy  Writ  being  the  light  of 
the  world,  it  would  become  the  cause  of  contention.  Every  man 
would  explain  every  thing  as  he  liked  best,  and  we  should  have  just 
as  many  laws  as  there  were  Bible  readers.  But  as  long  as  the  He- 
brew continues  to  be  studied,  there  is  no  danger  that  any  thing  of 
this  kind  will  ever  occur,  I  mean  amongst  ourselves.  It  is  this 
which  makes  the  Jews  so  very  formidable  in  argument ;  we  have  the 
original  records,  and  if  any  man  comes  to  argue  from  his  copy,  we 
ask  him  :  "  Let  us  see  how  your  copy  agrees  with  our  original ;" 
and  we  have  thus  maintained  the  superiority  in  argument  and  con- 
troversy in  every  age  and  in  every  country,  unless  our  reasons  were 
answered  by  the  sword  or  the  faggot. — The  Bible  must  be  literally 
given ;  and  every  word,  every  letter,  nay  every  point,  has  its  meaning, 
which  must  not  be  lost  sight  of;  no  passage  must  be  wrenched  from 
its  position  to  mean  any  thing  or  nothing ;  but,  as  the  whole  from 
the  first  word  in  Genesis  to  the  last  in  the  Chronicles  (which  books 
are  the  last  in  order  with  us)  is  one  revelation,  because  all  emanates 
from  one  source,  the  HOLY  ONE  of  Israel  (whose  name  be  praised 
for  eternity !)  it  is  but  fair  that  one  passage  should  be  used  to  ex- 
plain the  other.  And  the  Bible  may  be  compared  to  an  arch,  where 
one  stone  supports  the  other  ;  so,  generally  speaking,  will  every  ob- 
scure passage  receive  elucidation  from  another  part  of  the  Bible. 

This  is  no  fanciful  defence  of  the  use  of  the  Hebrew,  for  the  ex- 
perience of  every  day  proves  its  correctness ;  now  let  me  ask  my 
brethren  who  have  not  yet  resolved  to  abandon  alt :  Are  you  pre- 
pared t(\  give  up  the  superiority  you  possess  over  every  other  nation 
and  sect  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ?     Pause  before  you  strike  the 

Or  if  the  prophet  had  intended  to  express  the  idea  conveyed  by  the  English 
version,  he  might  also  have  said  :  nVJE  Nim>  he  being  conquering — in  virion/ 
— niD,rS:r  wU  swallow  death  ;  but  arc  these- words  found  in  the  text  ? 


THE  HEBREW  WORSHIP.  181 

fatal  blow  ;  the  nations  are  so  alive  to  your  strength,  that  in  some 
countries  they  will  not  allow  a  clergyman  to  be  licensed  who  has 
not  some  knowledge  of  the  Hebrew.  In  Germany  and  England 
they  teach  the  Hebrew  at  all  their  universities,  and  I  verily  believe 
their  object  in  so  doing  is  to  be  the  better  able  to  cope  with  us. 
Therefore,  for  the  sake  of  Heaven,  for  the  sake  of  your  own  honour 
and  eternal  salvation,  listen  not  to  what  irreligious  men  wish  to  in- 
stil in  you,  and  consider  and  know  that  your  ancestors  were  fully  as 
wise  and  as  well  informed  of  right  and  propriety  as  any  modern  infi- 
del, and,  if  I  err  not,  even  greatly  more  so ! 

I  do,  with  every  lover  of  his  people,  and  venerator  of  the  word  of 
God,  deeply  deplore  the  condition  in  which  many  Jews,  particularly 
in  this  country,  are  found. — Many,  and  1  am  sorry  to  confess,  most 
are  altogether  ignorant  of  the  Hebrew ;  this  is  no  doubt  an  evil, 
which  is  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  alarm  any  man  who  seriously  re- 
flects. But  this  evil  is  not  yet  great  enough  to  break  down  on  its 
account  the  limits  which  our  ancestors  have  set !  No — instead  of 
finding  fault,  let  those  who  have  the  abilities  set  about  enlightening 
and  informing  those  who  are  less  favoured ;  let  them  explain  the 
law,  the  ceremonies,  the  object  and  meaning  of  the  prayers,  and 
my  life  for  it,  the  outcry  against  the  not  understanding  of  our  ser- 
vice will  cease.  It  requires  a  great  deal  of  labour  perhaps  to  re- 
move the  great  mass  of  ignorance — to  root  out  prejudices  against  the 
ancient  system  ;  but  is  he  a  brave  man,  who  turns  back  at  the  sight 
of  any  obstacle  opposed  to  him  ?  Yet  would  I  not  recommend  to 
those,  who  may  be  disposed  to  follow  up  my  humble  beginning,  to 
lose  sight  of  discretion ;  far  from  it,  they  must  use  language  mild 
and  becoming ;  they  must  endeavour  to  convince  the  understanding 
rather  than  captivate  the  fancy ;  they  must  endeavour  to  be  plain  and 
intelligible  at  the  expense  of  being  tedious — lest  by  a  display  of  wit 
and  great  learning,  they  might  astonish  more  than  improve.  We 
may  be  met  at  the  very  beginning  by  difficulties  not  thought  of  per- 
haps, for  we  may  by  chance  rouse  those  spirits  to  greater  activity, 
which  have  been,  and  are  even  now  at  work  to  destroy  all  that  is 
venerable  for  sanctity  and  antiquity  :  but  let  us  work  unremittingly, 
and  the  victory  is  ours.  Let  no  man,  who  bears  the  honourable 
name  of  Israelite,  and  who  has  the  good  of  his  brothers  at  heart,  be 
caught  sleeping  at  his  post,  but  let  us  oppose  our  enemies  with  per- 


182  THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES. 

severance,  and  use  our  watchfulness  against  theirs,  and  our  God  will 
fbless  our  endeavour. — We  ought  not  however  to  be  too  much  elated 
by  success,  for  our  battle  is  for truth  and  not  for  fame,  and  if  our  object 
is  attained — if  we  once  have  succeeded — if  we  have  reached  the 
goal  of  our  desire  in  convincing  all  of  the  righteousness  of  our  law  : 
we  should  lay  down  the  arms  of  attack,  and  only  continue  to  improve 
our  advantage — teach  the  law  which  we  have  proved  true — spread 
amongst  our  brethren  the  knowledge  of  their  God — and  by  gentle 
means  lead  them  back  to  the  fold  from  which  they  have  strayed ! 
And  should  we  fear  to  encounter  ridicule — or  hatred — or  scorn — or 
even  persecution  ?  No — we  must  act  and  do  our  duty,  regardless  of 
what  men  may  think,  say,  or  do ;  and  will  not  God  prosper  our  un- 
dertaking 1  most  surely ;  success  must  await  us,  for  never  was  war 
waged  in  a  cause  more  holy ;  and  our  enemies  need  not  then  be 
ashamed  to  confess  themselves  vanquished,  for  not  by  us  were  they 
conquered,  but  by  our  God,  who  influences  our  minds,  and  to  suc- 
cumb to  Him  is  honour,  for  to  Him  we  all  must  bow  in  humble 
adoration  ! 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


THE   FASTS    AND    CERE3IONIES. 


1  imagine  that  what  has  been  said  above  will  prove — first,  that  the 
public  worship  in  Hebrew  was  not  instituted  by  the  Rabbins,  but  by 
Ezra  and  the  prophets  after  the  partial  restoration  of  the  Israelites; 
and  secondly,  that  its  retention  is  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  all  the 
Jews,  and  its  abolition  would  lead  to  the  most  dreadful  consequences, 
which  ought  ever  to  be  deprecated  by  every  real  friend  of  his  reli- 
gion and  of  his  brethren. — Of  the  propriety  of  the  second  days  of  the 
festivals  I  have  already  treated  above  (chap  xvii.  note) ;  I  shall 
therefore  begin  our  next  enquiry  with : 


THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES.  183 

"  Have  not  the  Rabbins  usurped  undue  authority  in  establishing 
the  fast-days  ?"  I  must  answer  at  once,  that  so  far  from  usurping 
any  authority  in  this  respect,  the  Rabbins  had  not  any  agency  what- 
ever in  establishing  the  fast-days,  for  they  were  instituted  in  the 
days  of  the  prophets,  and  this  was  with  the  express  approbation  of 
God.  The  fast-days,  independently  of  the  Day  of  Atonements,  are  the 
fast  of  the  seventeenth  day  of  Tamuz  (fourth  month)  ;  the  fast  of  the 
ninth  of  Ab  (fifth  month) ;  the  fast  of  the  third  of  Tishry  (seventh 
month);  the  fast  of  the  tenth  of  Tebeth  (tenth  month);  and  of  the 
thirteenth  day  of  Adar  (twelfth  month). — On  the  tenth  day  of  Te- 
beth the  enemy  first  approached  Jerusalem ;  on  the  seventeenth  of 
Tamuz  the  city  was  taken,  and  on  the  ninth*  of  Ab  the  temple  was 
burnt.  After  Nebuchadnezzar  had  destroyed  the  temple,  he  suffered 
a  small  number  of  our  brethren  to  live  in  Palestine  under  the  govern- 
ment of  Gedaliah,  who  was  treacherously  slain  by  Ismael,  son  of  Ne- 
thaniah,  on  the  third  day  of  Tishry.  The  remnant  of  the  Israelites 
were  now  afraid  to  stay  any  longer  in  their  country,  and  contrary  to 
the  advice  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah  they  went  to  Egypt,  where  nearly 
the  whole  of  their  number  died,  as  the  prophet  had  foretold.  (Jere- 
miah chap.  xli.  and  others.) — These  days  were  therefore  instituted 
as  fasts,  for  so  long  as  the  Israelites  should  remain  captives  in 
foreign  lands. — On  these  days  we  ought  to  assemble  in  the  places  of 
worship,  confess  our  sins,  make  restitutions,  (see  chap,  xxiii.)  ask  the 
protection  of  God  for  the  remnant  of  the  flock  that  has  escaped,  and 
pray  for  the  restoration  of  our  national  glory  at  the  time  of  the 
coming  of  the  promised  Messiah — The  antiquity  of  these  days  can 
be  proven  from  Zechariah,  chap.  viii.  v.  18 — 19  :  "  And  the  word 
of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  came  to  me  as  follows :  Thus  speaketh  Adonai 
Zebahothe,  the  fast  day  of  the  fourth,  and  the  fast  of  the  fifth,  and  the 
fast  of  the  seventh,  and  the  fast  of  the  tenth  shall  be  to  the  house  of 
Judah  (days  of)  rejoicing  and  gladness  and  happy  festivals ;  and  love 

*  These  are  the  days  of  the  conquest  of  Jerusalem  in  the  time  of  the  second 
temple  ;  in  that  of  the  first,  the  two  last  named  events  happened  on  other  days, 
in  the  same  months  however  ;  but  since  the  destruction  of  the  second  temple  is 
more  to  be  lamented  by  us,  than  that  of  the  first,  we  fast  and  mourn  on  those 
days  upon  which  Jerusalem  was  taken  and  the  temple  destroyed  by  Titus. — 
The  city  was  taken  by  Nebuchadnezzar  on  the  ninth  of  Tamuz,  and  the  temple 
burnt  on  the  tenth  day  of  Ab.  (See  Jeremiah,  chap.  lii.  v.  6 — 12.) 


184  THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES. 

you  truth  and  peace."  We  here  see  the  prophet  announcing  that 
these  four  days,  which  were  in  his  time  (and  are  now)  days  of 
mourning  and  abstinence,  shall,  at  the  time  of  our  restoration,  be 
days  of  festivity,  of  general  joy,  and  gladness.  The  fast  of  Esther, 
which  is  on  the  thirteenth  day  of  the  twelfth  month,  was  instituted 
to  commemorate  the  troubles  in  which  our  ancestors  found  them- 
selves in  the  time  of  Achashveroshe  through  the  evil  counsels  of 
Haman.  The  history  of  this  event  is  so  well  known,  that  a  synop- 
sis is  not  necessary  here  ;  suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  thirteenth,  four- 
teenth, and  in  walled  cities  the  fifteenth  (of  Adar)  also,  are  annually 
celebrated,  (the  thirteenth  as  a  fast,  the  other  two  as  days  of  re- 
joicing,) in  commemoration  of  our  escape  from  the  designs  of  Ha- 
man.— It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  that  our  opponents  disapprove 
entirely  our  celebrating  the  downfal  of  our  enemy,  when  this  event 
took  place  twenty-three  hundred  years  ago.  They  say  :  "  It  argues  a 
spirit  of  bitterness  and  unforgiving  hostility,  which  is  highly  unbe- 
coming."— This  objection  would  be  a  good  one,  if  our  rejoicing  were 
only  on  account  of  the  execution  of  Haman ;  but  this  is  not  the  fact, 
we  celebrate  our  redemption  ;  we  rejoice,  because  we  were  snatched 
from  destruction,  when  the  whetted  sword  lay  already  unsheathed  upon 
our  necks ;  we  assemble  to  return  sincere  thanks  to  our  God  for  the 
goodness  He  then  displayed  towards  his  chosen  people,  and  pray  for 
the  continuance  of  his  vigilance  and  protection  over  us,  who  linger 
so  long  in  captivity. — Is  such  a  celebration  proper  ? — To  argue  this 
point  further,  I  am  afraid,  would  be  insulting  to  the  understanding  of 
my  readers,  who,  I  hope,  will  be  intelligent  and  kind  enough  to  sup- 
ply the  defective  details,  which  now  and  then  may  be  found  in  my 
arguments.  — " 

The  fast-days  are,  according  to  the  above,  proved  not  to  be  of 
rabbinical  origin,  but  that  all  except  the  fast  of  Esther  were  instituted 
by  God  himself  through  the  agency  of  his  prophet.  The  fast  of  Es-  ■ 
ther  cannot  indeed  be  traced  to  any  prophet,  but  it  was  received  by 
the  Jews  then  living  as  a  day  of  humiliation  on  account  of  the  great 
deliverance  they  had  experienced,  as  were  also  the  festivities  of  Pu- 
rim  (the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  of  Adar)  for  the  reason  just  given. 
Ever  since  the  days  of  Mordecai  and  Esther  this  celebration  has 
been  kept  up,  and  it  cannot  now  be  abolished  ;  first,  on  account  of 
the  extraordinary  hold  it  has  taken  of  the  mind  of  all  Jews;  and 


THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES.  185 

secondly,  because  it  would  destroy  a  feature  in  our  ceremonies  re- 
sulting from  the  most  amiable  trait  in  human  nature — gratitude.  For* 
these  days  are  celebrated  every  year  as  a  tribute  from  us  to  our 
heavenly  Protector,  and  on  these  days  also  we  read  the  history^  of 
our  redemption,  and  we  return  our  thanks  to  Him,  who  was  then  as 
ever  our  Saviour  from  annihilation. — To  the  same  cause  may  be  as- 
cribed the  festival  called  Hannuckah,  commencing  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  day  of  Kislave,  (ninth  month,)  and  continuing  eight  days.  All 
conversant  with  history  know  that  the  Syrian  king  Antioclius  op- 
pressed the  Jews  very  grievously,  and  that  they  regained  their 
liberty  under  the  guidance  of  Judah  Maccabaeus,  who  defeated  the 
Syrians  and  drove  them  from  Jerusalem.  Antiochus  had  made  un- 
clean all  the  oil  set  apart  for  the  lighting  of  the  lamps  in  the  temple, 
and  when  the  Jews  reconsecrated  the  temple  they  found  but  one 
cruet  of  oil,  sealed  with  the  signet  of  the  high-priest,  the  contents  of 
which  were  only  sufficient  for  one  day's  service.  The  Jews  were 
not  able  to  procure  any  other  oil,  which  might  be  used,  for  some 
days ;  but  it  so  happened,  that  the  contents  of  the  small  jar  lasted 
for  eight  days,  till  fresh  oil  had  been  procured.  For  this  reason  do 
we  light  lamps  on  the  evenings  of  this  festival,  commencing  with  one 
on  the  first,  and  increasing  night  after  night  till  the  eighth,  when 
eight  lamps  are  lighted.  These  days,  like  the  Purim,  were  institut- 
ed to  keep  alive  the  recollection  of  our  deliverance  from  an  enemy 
who  attempted  to  root  out  the  Israelites ;  and  wherever  Jews  are 
found,  they  are  celebrated  as  days  of  rejoicing  and  festivity,  but  we 
are  not  bound  to  abstain  from  labour  on  those  days,  since  they  are 
not  commanded  in  the  Pentateuch;  on  Purim,  however,  most  per- 
sons do  not  work,  but  give  themselves  up  for  that  day  to  religious 
mirth,  as  it  may  properly  be  called. — All  these?  celebrations  and 
feasts  proceeded  from  the  voluntary  burst  of  feeling  of  the  whole 
people,  but  they  were  not  imposed  upon  an  unwilling  nation  by  the 
command  of  the  Rabbins,  Scribes,  and  Pharisees. 

The  next  question  for  consideration  is :  "  Did,  or  did  not  the 
prophets  prohibit  meat,  other  than  that  of  forbidden  animals,  pre- 
pared by  a  gentile,  to  be  eaten  by  a  Jew  ?  And  is  wine  of  the  gen- 
tiles prohibited  by  the  same  authority  or  not  V  It  needs  hardly  to 
be  told  that  the  Rabbins  have  received  a  great  share  of  abuse,  as 
being  the  authors  of  these  interdictions  ;  but  who  would  not  be  sur- 
24 


186  THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES. 

prised  to  be  convinced  that  these  very  Rabbins  are  as  innocent  of 
this  as  any  person  now  alive  1  To  prove  this,  however,  we  need  only 
read  the  first  chapter  of  Daniel;  and  is  it  not  surprising,  that  those 
would-be-wise  men,  who  spend  all  their  lives,  and  write  folio  upon 
folio,  in  endeavouring  to  clear  up  the  mysterious  prophecies  of  Daniel 
concerning  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  should  altogether  overlook 
what  he  relates  concerning  his  own  mode  of  life,  while  in  the  service 
of  the  Babylonian  king?  He  tells  us  that  he  came  to  the  determina- 
tion not  to  defile  himself  with  the  meats  (or  viands)  of  the  king,  nor 
with  his  wines,  and  he  asked  of  Melzar  the  favour  to  give  him  and 
his  three  associates  vegetables  (pulse)  to  eat,  and  no  wine,  but  water, 
to  drink  ;  though  Melzar  at  first  refused  to  comply  with  this  request, 
thinking  himself  in  danger  of  losing  his  head  if  his  charges  did  not 
look  so  well  as  the  other  youths  in  the  palace,  he  at  length  yielded, 
and  took  for  himself  the  rations  furnished  for  their  use,  and  gave 
them  pulse  in  place  of  them.  (See  Daniel,  chap,  i.)  This  whole  nar- 
rative proves,  that  any  meat  not  prepared  by  a  Jew  is  forbidden  to 
us. — The  killing  of  animals,  as  practised  by  the  rabbinical  Jews,  is 
also  in  every  respect  conformable  to  the  Mosaic  law,  where  we  are 
in  several  places  positively  commanded  to  let  the  blood  run  out 
(see  Lev.  chap.  xvii.  v.  13,  and  Deut.  chap.  xii.  v.  16,);  however 
any  one  might  be  disposed  to  explain  these  texts  to  suit  his  own 
views,  it  may  well  be  doubted  if  he  could  break  the  force  of  Deut. 
chap.  xii.  v.  21,  where  it  says:  "  Thou  shalt  kill  of  thy  herd  and  of 
thy  flock,  which  the  Lord  has  given  thee,  as  I  have  commanded 
thee ,"  commanded  where  1  and  since  we  can  no  where  find  the  mode 
of  killing  commanded  in  express  terms,  we  must  come  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  it  was  explained  to  the  Israelites  orally,  and  handed 
down  from  father  to  son  to  the  present  day.  The  great  care  that 
has  ever  been  bestowed  upon  this  subject,  even  in  the  time  of  Saul, 
proves,  that  there  is  something  more  in  this  than  mere  invention  of 
men,  and  that  therefore  the  tradition  of  the  fathers  is  true,  and 
founded  upon,  and  agreeable  to,  the  intent  of  the  Mosaic  law. 

It  cannot  be  expected,  that  I  should  give  an  analysis  even  of  our 
ceremonies,  but  I  may  say  with  truth,  that  they  are  of  great  antiquity, 
and  most  of  them  have  even  an  obvious  meaning  and  are  beautiful 
allegories.  For  instance,  a  golden  ring  is  used  at  our  marriages, 
and  when  the  bridegroom  puts  it  upon  the  finger  of  the  bride,  he 


THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES.  187 

says :  "  Thou  art  wedded  to  me  by  this  ring  according  to  the  law  of 
Moses  and  Israel." — The  ring  is  a  circle,  and  when  well  finishe^ 
the  point  where  the  two  extremes  join  cannot  be  discovered ;  if  once 
a  breach  be  made  in  the  ring,  or  if  it  be  broken,  it  cannot  answer  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  intended,  and  even  if  it  should  be  mended, 
a  mark  will  generally  remain  of  the  former  breach.  Just  so  is  it 
with  the  married  state.  The  husband  and  wife  should  be  like  the 
ring  of  pure  metal  employed  at  their  marriage,  that  is,  they  ought 
both  to  be  pure,  devoted  to  the  practice  of  virtue  and  piety.  They 
should  be  of  one  mind,  so  that  their  being  two  individuals  should  ■ 
be  hardly  perceptible  ;  the  husband  should  always  pay  deference  to 
the  wishes  of  his  wife,  but  it  is  her  duty  also  to  endeavour  to  win  his 
good  will  by  ready  compliance  and  gentle  demeanour;  and  if  it  un- 
fortunately should  become  necessary  for  either  of  them  to  chide  the 
other,  let  it  be  done  in  a  spirit  of  conciliation,  let  it  never  be  more 
than  remonstrance,  for  faults  are  much  oftener  laid  by  in  consequence 
of  mild  reproof,  than  violent  altercation.  Let  the  husband  think  the 
honour  of  the  wife  his  own,  and  let  her  look  up  to  him  as  her  sole 
protector  (under  God)  on  earth,  whose  happiness  ought  ever  to  be 
her  chief  delight,  and  which  she  is  to  promote  by  all  the  means  in 
her  power.  If  they  live  so,  in  love  towards  God  and  friendship  to- 
wards one  another,  the  married  state  must  be  the  most  blissful  on 
earth.  But  reverse  the  picture,  let  once  discontent  take  root  in 
their  minds,  let  them  habitually  find  fault  with  one  another,  let  angry 
disputes  become  familiar  to  them,  let  the  fear  of  God  be  once  re- 
moved from  before  them — and  unhappiness  is  the  lot  of  both  man 
and  wife,  and  what  was  once  the  best  blessing  becomes  now  the 
greatest  curse.  Though  they  become  reconciled  afterwards,  painful 
recollections  of  past  follies  will  nevertheless  often  occasion  them 
those  pangs  of  conscience,  which  are  the  severest  torture  on  earth. 
After  the  ring  is  put  upon  the  bride's  finger  and  the  marriage  con- 
tract read,  the  bridegroom  gives  her  to  drink  out  of  the  cup,  over 
which  grace  has  been  said,  which  he  then  throws  upon  the  ground, 
so  that  it  breaks.  This  ceremony  also  is  not  without  its  use,  and 
has  the  following  meaning  :  "  Midst  the  festive  joy  of  the  marriage- 
day  man  is  too  apt  to  think  only  of  pleasure,  nothing  but  joyful  anti- 
cipations float  before  his  eyes,  and  he  is  forgetful  of  the  ills  of  life 
and  its  close.     But  like  the  glass,  that  lays  shivered  in  a  thousand 


188  THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES. 

pieces  before  him,  will  the  joys  of  life  pass  away  into  innumerable 
sorrows,  and  the  body  of  man  now  so  beautiful,  must  in  a  few  brief 
years  be  dissolved  into  its  natural  elements,  the  flesh  will  decay 
from  the  bones  and  become  a  prey  to  the  worms  of  the  earth." 
Again — we  read  in  the  Talmud  :  "  That  on  the  day  the  son  of  Rab 
Hoonah  was  married,  the  latter  made  a  feast  for  all  his  scholars  and 
companions.  They  were  all,  as  he  thought,  too  much  rejoiced,  and 
he  found  them  forgetful  of  the  state  of  captivity  in  which  we  even 
yet  linger.  Seeing  this  the  pious  Rabbi  threw  down  an  elegant  glass 
ornament,  from  a  stand  near  which  he  stood.  The  scholars  were  no 
sooner  aware  of  the  destruction  of  the  rare  and  costly  vase,  than  they 
all  looked  sorrowful  about  the  wanton  destruction  of  what  was  then 
very  scarce  and  dear,  and  they  enquired  of  R.  Hoonah  the  cause  of 
his  strange  conduct,  when  he  told  them  :  *  Remember  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  remember  the  burning  of  the  temple,  and  do  not 
forget  that  we  dwell  no  longer  in  our  land,  and  you  will  moderate 
your  joy  !'  "  And  it  is  just  and  proper  that  we  should  always  recol- 
lect, that  we  were  hurled  from  our  high  estate,  and  that,  like  the 
fragments  of  the  glass  strewed  about  the  floor,  we  are  scattered  all 
over  the  world  in  small  numbers.  We  ought  to  act  and  think  like 
the  holy  Psalmist,  who  says  (Psalm  137) : 

"  By  the  streams  of  Babel — there  we  sat  and  also  wept — when 
we  remembered  Zion.  Upon  its  willows  did  we  hang  our  harps, 
for  there  did  our  captors  ask  of  us  the  words  of  song,  and  those  de- 
riding us — joy,  '  sing  us  some  of  Zion's  songs  !'  How  can  we 
sing  the  song  of  the  Eternal  in  the  land  of  the  stranger?  If  1  for- 
get thee  Jerusalem,  may  my  right  hand  forget — then  may  my 
tongue  cleave  to  my  palate,  if  1  remember  thee  not — if  I  bring  not* 
(thee  O)  Jerusalem  at  the  head  of  my  joy  !" 

Though  these  ideas  may  appear  to  some  too  gloomy,  the  reflect- 
ing mind  will  not  revolt  from  them.  To  remember  the  hour  of  dis- 
solution has  for  the  good  man  and  true  believer  no  further  terror,  than 
deterring  him  from  sin,  that  he  may  leave  this  world  unspotted,  and 
return  his  soul  in  the  same  purity  to  his  Maker,  as  it  was  when  He 
gave  it  to  him. — The  same  is  the  case  with  remembering  our  de- 

*  Or,  as  R.  Moses  Mendelsohn  translates:  "  If  a  tear  does  not  flow  for  thee, 
whenever  I  am  rejoiced." 


THE  FASTS  AND  CEREMONIES.  189 

graded  political  state.     The  recurrence  to  our  former  glory  must       • 
and  ever  will  occasion  the  severest  pain  to  a  Jew ;  yet  is  there  some-^ 
thing  very  animating  in  the  idea  of  our  future  restoration,  and  it 
will  incite  every  good  man  to  act  so,  that  the  coming  of  the  Messiah 
may  not  be  retarded  on  his  account. 

Our  ceremonies  on  various  occasions  have  been  explained  already 
in  some  parts  of  the  foregoing  pages,  and  since  it  is  not  my  present 
purpose  te  explain  the  ceremonies  of  the  Jews,  it  would  be  quite  out 
of  place  to  dilate  on  this  subject ;  I  shall  therefore  but  remark,  that 
our  mourning  is  in  most  respects  just  the  same  that  was  customary 
in  the  times  of  the  patriarchs,  which  can  be  easily  proved  if  neces- 
sary ;  and  to  show  with  what  feelings  we  mourn,  I  beg  to  call  the 
reader's  attention  to  the  following  from  the  funeral  service : 

"  Thou  art  just,  O  Lord,  and  upright  are  thy  judgments ! 
Righteous  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  and  beneficent  in  all  thy  works  !  Thy 
righteousness  is  everlasting  righteousness,  and  thy  law  is  true  ! 

"  The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  uniformly  just.  Where 
the  word  of  the  King  is,  there  is  power,  and  who  can  say  to  him, 
'  What  doest  Thou  V  For  He  is  of  one  mind,  and  who  can  alter 
it  ?  and  what  his  soul  desires  He  doeth.  The  rock — whose  work 
is  perfect,  for  all  his  ways  are  just ;  the  God  of  truth — and  without 
iniquity — He  is  just  and  upright.  He  is  a  true  Judge,  judging  with 
righteousness  and  truth.  Praised  be  the  true  Judge,  for  all  his 
judgments  are  just  and  true." 

It  will  be  seen,  that  when  our  grief  is  naturally  the  greatest,  we 
acknowledge  the  justice  of  our  Supreme  Judge,  all  whose  ways  are 
just. — After  this  prayer  we  pray  for  the  soul  of  the  departed  in  a 
very  appropriate  manner,  and  conclude  with  the  prophecy  from  Isaiah, 
where  he  speaks  in  confident  terms  of  his  hope  in  the  resurrection. 
In  short,  the  ceremonies  of  the  Jews  are  conformable  to  the  laws 
they  obey ;  and  the  life  of  a  good  Jew  may  fairly  be  set  down  as  a 
model  of  perfection,  as  far  as  mortals  can  be  perfect ! 


190 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


THE    LAW    AND    THE   RABBINS. 


Before  1  conclude  this  part  of  my  subject,  that  is  to  say,  the 
proofs  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Mosaic  law  and  the  reasons  of  the 
continued  adherence  of  the  Jews  to  the  same  :  I  must  say  a  few 
words  relative  to  the  veneration  we  pay  to  the  book  of  the  law 
itself.  The  great  Ezra*  (who  was  next  to  Moses  the  principal  in- 
strument of  God  to  perpetuate  the  law  amongst  us),  together  with 
the  prophets  and  the  wise  men  of  his  time,  made  a  regulation,  that 
the  law  should  be  read  in  the  Synagogues  every  Sabbath,  Monday, 
and  Thursday,  that  the  Israelites  should  never  be  three  days  with- 
out reading  the  law  or  hearing  it  read.  This  regulation  is  not  an 
addition  to  the  Mosaic  Law,  for  there  we  are  commanded  that  the 
book  of  the  law  shall  be  read  at  every  time,  (Deut.  chap.  xvii.  and 
several  other  passages,)  and  once  at  least  every  seven  years  the 
chief  of  the  nation  was  obliged  to  read  the  law  publicly  to  the  whole 
assembled  people,  men  women  and  children,  nay  even  the  stranger. 
(Deut.  chap.  xxxi.  v.  12.)  In  the  same  chapter  we  are  command- 
ed :  "  To  place  the  song  in  the  mouth  of  the  Israelites,"  meaning, 
to  make  them  perfectly  acquainted  with  it ;  upon  further  examina- 
tion, however,  it  will  be  discovered,  that  not  only  the  last  song  of 
Moses,  but  also  the  whole  law  was  to  be  known  to  every  Israelite. 
(Chap.  xxx.  v.  14.)  It  needs  not  be  told,  that  in  the  Mosaic  law 
many  commandments  are  given  in  general  terms,  without  defining 
their  extent  or  the  mode  how  they  should  be  done ;  and  we  find, 
that  God  empowered  the  judges  to  explain  any  contested  matter, 
according  to  the  general  rules  given  through  Moses.  (Deut.  chap. 

*  That  this  regulation  chiefly  emanated  from  Ezra  is  the  general  opinion 
amongst  the  Jews,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  it,  if  we  consider  the  great 
veneration  he  had  for  the  law.  It  is,  however,  probable  that  the  same  custom, 
or  a  similar  one,  was  common  as  early  as  the  time  of  Elisha ;  for  some  re 
in  favour  of  this  hypothesis,  see  above,  chap,  xxiii.p.  167. 


THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS.  191 

xvii.  v.  11.  and  ibid.  chap.  xxi.  v.  5.)  This  being  the  case  it  cannot 
be  doubted  that  Ezra  and  the  Sanhedrin,  at  the  time  being,  had  thdif 
right  to  make  the  above  regulation,  it  being  in  accordance  with 
the  general  law  as  laid  down  in  the  Pentateuch,  and  well  adapted  for 
the  spreading  of  this  law  amongst  the  people. — According  to  this 
regulation  the  whole  five  books  composing  the  Pentateuch  are 
divided  into  fifty-four  portions,  namely,  Genesis  in  twelve,  Exodus 
in  eleven,  Leviticus  in  ten,  Numbers  in  ten,  and  Deuteronomy  in 
eleven ;  in  general  one  is  read  every  Sabbath  in  the  year,  commenc- 
ing on  the  first  Sabbath  after  the  feast  of  Tabernacles,  and  closing 
on  the  last  day  of  this  feast ;  but  in  the  common  years  of  our  calen- 
dar, which  are  only  three  hundred  and  fifty-five  days,  there  are 
read  on  some  Sabbath-days  two  portions,  so  as  to  read  the  whole 
law  once  at  least  in  every  twelve  months. — On  the  festivals  and 
fast-days  portions  appropriate  to  the  days  are  read ;  for  instance,  on 
the  first  day  of  the  Passover,  Exodus,  chap.  xii.  v.  21,— chap,  xiii ; 
on  the  seventh  day,  ibid.  chap.  xiii.  v.  17, — chap.  xv.  v.  26  ;  on 
the  Day  of  Atonement,  Leviticus,  chap.  xvi.  v.  1 — 34,  and  in  the 
same  manner  on  the  other  days.  On  Sabbath  afternoon,  and 
Monday  and  Thursday,  the  first  section  of  the  following  Sabbath  is 
read.  The  usefulness  of  this  custom  will  be  apparent  to  any  person 
endowed  with  the  smallest  share  of  penetration ;  the  law  being  con- 
tinually read  to  the  people,  and  whereas  it  has  been  recommended 
by  the  Rabbins,  to  read,  before  the  reading  in  the  Synagogue,  the 
Hebrew  twice  and  a  translation  once,  it  must  be  continually,  in  the 
literal  sense  of  the  words,  in  the  mouth  and  heart  of  all  Israelites  ; 
and  can  they  fail,  if  they  attend  to  this  strictly,  to  become  intimate- 
ly acquainted  with  the  whole  law  ? — Nor  can  the  Rabbins  be  charged 
with  a  desire  of  shrouding  the  law  in  mystery  and  withholding  ex- 
planations from  the  people ;  so  far  from  this  being  true,  men  capable 
of  teaching  deliver  lectures  (in  every  village  and  town  of  Europe) 
to  the  congregation  before  the  afternoon  service  of  the  Sabbaths 
and  holydays  ;  and  those  who  are  able  frequently  give  sermons  and 
discourses  of  their  own  composition  during  or  immediately  after  the 
morning-service. 

After  the  reading  of  the  law  on  the  mornings  of  the  Sabbaths 
and  the  festivals,  and  on  the  afternoons  of  the  fast-days,  an  appro- 
priate portion  is  read  from  some  of  the  historical  writings  and  the 


192  THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS. 

prophets  prior  to  Daniel,  (that  is  in  the  order  in  which  the  prophets 
are  placed  in  our  canon).  The  origin  of  this  custom  is  this :  when 
Antiochus  had  conquered  Palestine  he  forbade  the  reading  of  the 
law  by  the  Jews,  hoping  that  by  degrees  it  might  be  altogether  for- 
gotten. But  so  convinced  were  our  ancestors  of  the  good  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  institution  of  Ezra,  that  they,  not  being  able  to  read 
the  law  itself,  substituted  portions  of  the  prophets  bearing  resem- 
blance to  those  passages  of  the  law  which  ought  to  have  been  read 
on  that  Sabbath.  It  is  well  known  how  cruelly  Antiochus  treated 
the  aged  priest  Eleazer  and  the  seven  sons  of  Hannah ;  but  his  day 
of  destruction  soon  arrived,  and  he  was  driven  from  our  soil  with  igno- 
miny and  shame ;  but  the  Israelites  to  this  day  retain  the  custom  of 
reading  the  passages  of  the  prophets  as  just  mentioned  ;  and  thus  not 
only  the  law,  but  also  the  prophets,  will  be  remembered  by  us,  as 
the  frequent  perusal  of  them  must  fix  them  indelibly  in  our  minds. 

It  is  also  universally  known,  that  all  the  copies  of  the  law  in  use 
amongst  us  are  precisely  alike.  If  we  now  wish  to  know  how  this 
extraordinary  result  was  brought  about,  how  it  could  possibly  hap- 
pen, that  in  the  many  countries,  where  our  dispersions  dwell,  all  our 
copies  of  the  Pentateuch  should  agree  :  we  must  look  to  the  mode 
prescribed  by  our  wise  men,  before  and  after  the  destruction  of  the 
temple,  for  the  reason  of  the  miraculous  preservation  of  the  purity  of 
the  Scriptures. — These  men  have  laid  down  rules  for  preparing  the 
parchment  and  the  ink,  and  in  what  manner  the  books  of  the  law, 
the  Thephillin  and  Mezoozothe  were  to  be  written.  No  man,  who 
has  not  been  previously  examined  as  to  his  competency  in  writing 
and  knowledge  of  the  rules,  and  who  cannot  produce  testimonials  of 
an  upright  and  religious  conduct,  can  be  admitted  to  be  a  writer  of 
the  law.  The  Massorites  have  carefully  noted  every  word,  how  it 
is  to  be  written ;  and  if  a  man  follows  the  rules  they  have  laid  down, 
it  is  impossible  but  he  must  write  correctly.  No  book,  which  has 
an  error  in  it,  can  be  used  for  public  reading  in  the  Synagogue,  and 
if  any  error  be  discovered  during  the  reading  of  the  law,  another 
book  must  be  used.  Before  a  book  can  be  considered  as  fit  for  pub- 
lic service,  it  must  have  been  several  times  carefully  revised.  It  is 
unlawful  to  erase  any  name  of  the  Most  High  ;  but  in  case  the  error 
discovered  can  not  be  rectified  without  this  being  done,  the  whole 
sheet,  in  which  the  error  is,  must  be  taken  out,  and  a  correct  one 


THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS.  193 

substituted. — The  law  is  written  upon  parchment,  and  on  one  side 
only  ;  every  word  must  be  written  upon  lines,  and  the  letters  must 
stand  so  that  no  one  touch  the  other.  The  letters,  it  is  almost  need- 
less to  say,  are  Hebrew ;  they  are,  however,  somewhat  different 
from  those  used  in  printing,  as  some  of  them  have  certain  marks 
upon  the  top,  called  Taggim,  which  any  one  can  discover  by  just 
inspecting  one  of  the  rolls,  which,  moreover,  are  mounted  on  two 
rollers,  for  the  purpose  of  being  the  more  easily  conveyed  from  one 
place  to  the  other,  and  of  being  better  adapted  for  the  use  of  the 
Synagogues. 

Thus  we  see,  that  all  the  rolls  existing  are  written  after  one  rule, 
by  men  who  are  virtuous  and  competent  to  the  task ;  no  dishonour 
can  therefore  belong  to  the  name  of  Scribe ;  for  can  it  be  dishonour- 
able for  a  man  to  be  chosen  to  transcribe  the  law  of  his  God,  when 
this  very  permission  stamps  him  as  a  man  of  virtue  and  knowledge  1 
I  really  wonder  how  any  man,  who  professes  to  venerate  the  Bible, 
should  dare  to  call  the  body  of  Scribes  hypocrites,  when  Ezra 
says  of  himself,  "  that  he  was  a  ready  scribe  of  the  law  of  God  !" 
Would  Ezra  have  said  that  of  himself,  which  would  class  him 
amongst  hypocrites  ?  And  is  it  rational  to  suppose,  that  at  any  time 
the  whole  community  of  the  Jews  was  so  depraved,  that  the  persons 
appointed  to  write  the  law  were  uniformly  taken  from  amongst 
those  who  assumed  only  the  cloak  of  piety  to  conceal  their  hideous 
moral  deformity?  It  is  impossible  :  and  from  the  time  of  Ezra  to 
the  present  day  the  station  of  a  Scribe  has  been  an  honourable  one, 
though  worldly  riches  have  seldom  been  the  portion  of  any  one  of 
this  fraternity. 

If  we  consider  the  above  with  due  attention,  our  astonishment 
will  cease  at  the  accuracy  of  all  our  copies  of  the  law.  But  shall 
those  men,  the  Pharisees  and  Rabbins,  who  strove  so  hard  to  accom- 
plish this  desirable  object,  be  branded  with  every  opprobrious  epithet 
which  malice  or  ignorance  can  invent  ?  It  surpasses  my  intellectual 
powers  to  comprehend  the  reason  they  could  have  had  to  take  so 
much  care  to  preserve  the  law  free  from  additions,  alterations,  and 
forgeries,  if  it  was  their  intention  to  twist  and  turn  the  text  as  they 
pleased ! — And  whilst  teaching,  that  this  law  must  be  observed  ac- 
cording to  the  letter,  without  addition  or  diminution,  can  it  be  possi- 
ble, 1  ask,  that  they  should  have  promulgated  aught  that  was  not 
25 


194  THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS. 

warranted  by  the  law  itself,  or  the  tradition  they  had  received  from 
their  fathers  ?  However,  I  need  not  trouble  myself  to  find  argu- 
ments for  our  opponents,  who,  as  they  continually  make  those 
charges  against  our  wise  men,  are  in  reason  bound  to  explain  the 
above  mental  phenomenon,  and  to  prove  the  truth  of  what  they 
otherwise  assert. 

But  I  hear  asked  on  every  side  :  "  Did  not  the  Rabbins  disagree 
about  the  meaning  and  extent  of  many  passages  of  the  law  1"  Yes, 
they  did  ;  but  this  is  no  reason  for  rejecting  their  enactments.  Let 
us  consider  a  few  moments,  if  it  be  possible  for  a  whole  assembly 
of  delegates  from  various  quarters  of  a  state  to  agree  in  every 
question  of  importance  brought  before  them.  Let  it  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  they  act  under  a  law  whose  general  principles  are 
known,  but  whose  extent  in  particular  cases  is  unknown.  Each  of 
the  members  of  this  assembly  is  called  upon  to  vote,  and  to  state 
his  opinions  and  the  reasons  which  govern  him  in  so  voting.  Each 
member  thus  called  upon  ventures  to  express  his  opinion,  and  to 
give  his  reasons  for  his  vote,  and  the  view  he  has  of  that  general 
law,  according  to  which  he  is  bound  to  decide.  Can  any  man  assert, 
with  a  strict  regard  to  truth  and  justice,  that  each  one  of  this  assem- 
bly may  not  be  actuated  by  the  best  motives  and  the  highest  reve- 
rence for  this  general  law  ?  If  I  might  be  permitted  to  hazard  an 
opinion,  I  should  say,  that  this  very  disagreeing,  where  no  party  is 
personally  interested,  (as  was  the  case  with  all  the  Sanhedrin,)  and 
where  each  man  might  relinquish  his  own  views  without  any  per- 
sonal sacrifice — this  disagreeing,  I  say,  proves  the  sincerity  of 
the  individuals  composing  this  assembly,  for  each  man  contends  for 
right  in  the  abstract,  and  his  maintaining  his  own  opinion  with  argu- 
ment against  that  perhaps  of  all  the  other  members,  shows,  that  his 
veneration  for  the  general  law  is  so  great  that  he  cannot  remain 
silent,  though  he  is  sure  of  being  in  a  minority,  or  perhaps  alone. 

I  will  relate  one  instance  of  a  disagreement  of  the  Rabbins  from 
the  Talmud,  which,  1  am  sure,  will  be  sufficient  to  exonerate  them 
from  the  charge  of  quarrelling,  and  endeavouring  to  make  the 
law  obscure  by  their  disputes. — During  the  time  that  Rabban  Ga- 
maliel was  Nahssy,  or  chief  of  the  Sanhedrin,  a  man,  who  lived  in 
the  country  of  the  Ammonites,  wished  to  join  the  Israelites.  Rab- 
ban Gamaliel  was  of  opinion  that  he  could  not  be  received,  for  it  is 


THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS.  195 

•written  in  Deut.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  4 :  "  No  Ammonite  or  Moabite  shall 
come  in  the  congregation  of  the  Eternal."  Rabbi  Yehoshua,  how- 
ever, thought  that  he  might  be  received,  "  For,"  said  he,  "  it  is  well 
known  that  Sanherib  mixt  all  the  nations  (those  around  Palestine) ; 
amongst  this  number  were  the  Ammonites,  who,  since  that  time, 
no  longer  exist  as  a  separate  and  distinct  people.  Now,  since  the 
greater  number  of  the  nations  thus  driven  from  their  homes  were 
not  of  those  whose  acceptance  as  proselytes  was  interdicted  by  the 
passage  in  question,  the  living  in  the  country  of  the  Ammonites  does 
not  constitute  any  one  an  Ammonite ;  it  may  be  that  he  is  a  de- 
scendant from  this  people,  but  the  greater  probability  is,  that  he  is 
not,  for  it  is  a  rule,  whatever  separates,  separates  from  the  majority." 
I  do  not  think  that  this  requires  any  explanation,  for  both  reasons 
are  very  plain.  No  man  reading  this  can  doubt  but  that  both  Rab- 
ban  Gamaliel  and  Rabbi  Yehoshua  were  sincere  and  pious  Israel- 
ites, both  passionately  attached  to  the  law,  and  each  of  them  ready 
to  sacrifice  his  life  for  the  sanctification  of  God  and  his  laws.  On 
the  other  hand,  no  man  can  doubt  that  there  was  good  reason  for 
either  side  of  the  question,  and  that,  though  the  opinion  of  Rabban 
Gamaliel  was  strictly  according  to  the  Mosaic  law,  yet  did  Rabbi 
Yehoshua  clearly  prove  that  the  passage  cited  by  the  Nahssy  was 
inapplicable  in  the  present  instance  for  the  reasons  given.* — I  beg 
leave  to  draw  the  reader's  attention  to  another  circumstance  attend- 
ing this  difference.  Rabban  Gamaliel  was  a  descendant  of  David, 
and  was  besides  a  man  of  great  wealth  and  influence ;  Rabbi  Yeho- 
shua, on  the  contrary,  was  but  a  poor  man,  who  maintained  himself 
by  his  own  labour ;  but  he  was  a  man  of  great  learning,  piety,  and 
virtue.  He  was  not  deterred  by  the  greatness  of  the  Nahssy  from 
speaking  his  opinion  freely  ;  and  this  is  not  all,  for  it  was  afterwards 
found  that  it  had  been  the  right  one,  and  it  was  in  consequence 
adopted. 

The  debates  incident  to  a  disagreement  of  opinion  amongst  the 
Rabbins  called  forth  the  most  acute  and  close  reasoning,  and  those 
persons  at  all  acquainted  with  the  Talmud  must  acknowledge  this 


*  Can  the  generality  of  the  English  tell,  if  they  are  descended  from  Romans, 
Britons,  Saxons,  Danes,  or  Normans,  though  this  mixture  constitutes  the  Eng- 
lish nation  ? 


196  THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS. 

in  spite  of  themselves.  But  let  it  not  be  imagined,  that  upon  every 
question  arising  there  was  necessarily  a  difference  of  opinion ;  far 
from  it,  as  a  reference  to  any  part  of  the  Mishnah  and  Gemarah 
(which  both  together  are  called  Talmud)  will  amply  demonstrate. 
I  will  just  mention,  that  this  difference  amongst  the  Rabbins  pro- 
duced no  angry  feelings,  and  they  ever  lived  together  in  the  greatest 
harmony,  with  but  very  few  exceptions.  In  fact,  they  did  not  con- 
tend for  the  mastery  in  argument,  nor  the  establishment  of  their 
own  particular  views ;  but  only  that  the  truth  might  be  brought  out 
by  discussion,  and  all  their  differences  were  for  the  sake  of  Heaven, 
for  the  ultimate  glory  of  the  name  of  God.  Such  differences  as 
these  must  raise  the  parties  in  our  estimation,  and  compel  us  to  re- 
spect the  opinions  of  those  men,  who,  with  an  eye  solely  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  religion  and  social  virtue,  braved  persecutions,  and 
poverty,  and  distress,  to  accomplish  this  noble  object.  There  are 
materials  enough  to  prove  this  last  assertion  more  fully,  but  enough 
has  already  been  said  for  the  conviction  of  those  who  are  disposed 
lo  be  convinced. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  deny  that  the  Rabbins  were  very  strict  and 
austere  ;  but  is  this  an  objection  to  them?  Can  any  man  be  blamed 
for  adhering  to  his  opinion,  which  he  conceives  to  be  right,  even  in 
trifles  ?  I  imagine  not.  Besides,  the  limit  between  right  and  wrong 
is  so  delicate  as  to  be  hardly  perceptible,  and  it  is  always  safer  to 
be  too  strict,  than  too  lax,  as  the  author  of  Lacon  so  elegantly  says : 
"  Many  persons  say,  in  cases  of  doubtful  morality,  what  harm 
can  there  be  in  doing  it,  but  he  (the  author  of  L.)  would  be  glad  to 
kriow  what  harm  there  could  be  in  letting  it  alone." — Why  not 
judge  the  Rabbins  by  the  same  rule  ?  Moreover,  let  it  be  consider- 
ed that  many  little  things,  of  which  we  are  daily  guilty,  are  unlaw- 
ful, if  we  will  but  take  the  trouble  to  investigate  our  conduct  a 
little.  But  this  is  a  thing  which  we  will  but  seldom  do.  We  love 
ourselves  so  much,  and  are  so  tender  of  the  peace  of  our  conscience, 
that  we  will  never  suffer  any  disagreeable  sensation  to  disturb  us,  if 
we  possibly  can  help  it.  And  this  want  of  courage  and  command 
over  ourselves  is  no  trifling  fault,  for  if  we  would  always  be  courage- 
ous enough  to  accuse  ourselves,  and  correct  trifling  faults  in  the 
commencement,  or  when  we  first  discover  in  us  a  strong  propensity 
to  any  vice,  we  would  often  be  prevented  from  committing  many 


THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS.  197 

crimes,  or  becoming  notorious  for  vice  or  irreligion.  It  is  a  com- 
mon and  a  true  saying,  that  no  man  becomes  bad  of  a  sudden.  We 
commence  by  doing  a  trifling  wrong,  next  one  of  greater  magnitude, 
till  by  degrees  we  have  broken  through  every  law,  both  human  and 
divine.  We,  therefore,  read  in  the  second  Payreck  of  Abothe: 
"  And  be  as  careful  of  a  trifling  good  deed  as  of  a  weighty  one,  for 
thou  dost  not  know  the  reward  for  good  actions ;  and  always  con- 
trast the  loss  which  any  good  action  may  occasion  with  its  reward, 
and  the  benefit  of  sin  with  its  ultimate  injury." — Payreck  iv. :  "  Ben 
Azay  says  :  Run  to  do  any  good  action,  though  trifling  it  be,  and 
shun  any  sin  ;  for  one  good  deed  is  the  parent  of  another — and  one 
sin  is  the  parent  of  another ;  for  the  reward  of  any  virtuous  action 
is  another  virtuous  action,  and  the  punishment  of  sin  is  sin."  And 
do  we  not  find  daily,  that  we  never  stop  short  upon  the  road  of  vir- 
tue or  vice  ? — In  the  same  spirit  the  Talmud  also  says :  "  That 
when  God  will  destroy  the  j»VI  13P  Yaytser  harang  (figurative  for 
evil  inclinations)  he  will  appear  to  the  pious  men  as  a  large  moun- 
tain, who  then  will  say  :  How  were  we  able  to  overcome  so  large  a 
mountain  1  to  the  wicked,  however,  he  will  appear  as  a  hair,  and  they 
will  say:  Woe  to  us,  that  we  had  not  firmness  enough  to  overcome  even 
a  hair."  And  so  it  is,  if  we  take  a  view  of  all  the  temptations  we 
had  to  encounter,  we  will  often  be  astonished  how  we  escaped  them 
without  giving  way  to  our  inclinations.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we 
have  been  guilty  of  any  crime,  religious  or  moral,  and  we  take  a 
look  at  our  past  conduct,  we  will  often  shudder  at  the  trifle  which 
was  the  first  cause  of  our  present  degradation.  Shall  I  search 
through  the  annals  of  crime  and  infidelity  to  prove  this?  My 
readers,  I  think,  will  gladly  dispense  with  it ;  and  each  will  perhaps 
be  able  to  supply  an  example  of  both  virtue  and  vice  from  his  own 
recollection. 

No  rabbinical  Jew  will,  therefore,  attempt  to  deny  that  the  Rab- 
bins were,  in  old  times,  austere,  as  regards  themselves,  and  that 
they  are  so  even  yet ;  since  this  is  no  fault.  But  let  it  not  be 
thought  that  they  are  gloomy  fanatics  and  bigots  :  so  far  from  this 
being  the  case,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  they  are  the  most  cheer- 
ful class  of  men ;  but  their  hilarity  is  not  boisterous,  and  their  mirth 
is  tempered  by  piety  and  a  knowledge  of  the  uncertainty  of  life. 
The  shortness  of  our  existence  is  not  with  them  a  goad  to  hurry 


198  THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS. 

them  on  from  pleasure  to  pleasure  (as  with  the  Epicureans  of  old) ; 
but  it  always  reminds  them  that  the  time  must  be  spent  in  good  ac- 
tions— in  deeds  of  kindness  towards  mankind,  and  in  adoration  to 
God. 

Having  touched  in  succession  upon  those  points  which  appeared 
to  me  best  adapted  to  demonstrate  the  divine  origin  of  our  law,  I 
think  that  I  cannot  close  this  part  of  my  little  book  better  than  by 
extracting  the  following  from  the  Proverbs  of  the  Fathers,  chap.  ii. : 

"  Rabbi  Tarfone  said :  The  day  is  short,  the  work  is  great  (mul- 
tifarious), the  workmen  are  lazy,  the  reward  is  ample,  and  the  mas- 
ter of  the  house  is  urgent. — He  also  used  to  say  :  It  is  not  incum- 
bent on  thee  to  finish  the  work,  nor  art  thou  at  liberty  to  divest  thy- 
self altogether  of  it ;  if  thou  hast  learned  much  of  the  law,  much 
reward  will  be  given  thee,  and  the  master  of  thy  work  is  trustwor- 
thy (capable)  to  pay  thee  the  reward  for  thy  labour  ;  and  know  thou 
that  the  reward  of  the  righteous  is  in  the  world  to  come  !" 

No  man,  whatever  his  religious  principles  may  be,  can  find  fault 
with  the  moral  contained  in  this  beautiful  allegory,  and  its  force  and 
simplicity  are  perhaps  unsurpassed  by  any  saying  that  flowed  from 
pens  not  wielded  by  inspired  writers. — And  I  believe  that  it  may  be 
asserted,  that  whatever  the  Rabbins  wrote  bears  the  mark  of  a  high 
elevation  of  thought,  and  a  grandeur  of  conception,  and  although 
their  figures  may  now  and  then  seem  too  bold,  yet  their  meaning  is 
always  very  appropriate  when  correctly  explained. 

In  fine,  the  law  given  by  God  through  Moses  is  the  citadel,  in 
which  we  must  take  shelter ;  but  let  that  rude  hand  be  blasted 
which  should  impiously  dare  to  break  down  the  wall,  which  our 
good  pastors  and  faithful  guardians  have  with  so  much  care  built 
around  it ! 


O  GREAT  AND  ADORABLE  BEING,  who  didst  create  the 
heaven  and  the  earth,  and  the  innumerable  planetary  systems  which 
shine  around  us,  look  down  with  mercy  and  compassion  upon  thy 
servant,  who  feebly  essays  to  vindicate  the  glory  of  THY  HOLY 


THE  LAW  AND  THE  RABBINS.  199 

NAME !  O  may  the  words  of  his  mouth  be  acceptable  to  Thee, 
and  may  nought  that  he  says  be  displeasing  to  Thee ! — Vouchsafe 
also  to  look  down  from  thy  high  abode  upon  the  descendants  of 
Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  thy  servants,  and  remember  Thou 
the  covenant  which  Thou  didst  make  with  them,  saying,  that  Thou 
wouldst  never  forsake  their  children !  Grant  them,  therefore, 
knowledge  and  wisdom,  that  they  may  all  understand  thy  law,  and 
know  what  is  pleasing  to  Thee  ! — Deliver  them  from  all  affliction, 
and  bring  to  fulfilment  the  prophecy  spoken  through  thy  prophet, 
that  the  earth  should  be  full  of  thy  knowledge,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea.  May  this  be  thy  will,  and  may  we  speedily  behold  thy  re- 
turn to  ZION.     Amen ! 


APPENDIX 

TO    CHAPTER    II.    PAGE    14. 


Some  unfortunate  critic  (the  Archaeologist  in  the  Monthly  Maga- 
zine for  August,  1814)  has  attempted  to  prove  that  the  book  of  Exo- 
dus and  a  part  of  Genesis  were  composed  about  the  time  of  Jeremiah, 
mainly  on  the  following  grounds :  first,  because  the  book  of  Exodus, 
chap.  xxv.  contains  a  description  of  the  candelabre  to  be  used  in  the 
temple,  which  was  to  consist  of  seven  branches,  and  Solomon  (so 
says  the  Archaeologist)  was  ignorant  of  this  commandment,  because 
he  made  eleven  single  candlesticks,  each  holding  one  light  (1  Kings, 
chap.  vii.  v.  49,):  secondly,  because  the  motto,  HOLINESS  TO 
THE  LORD,  which  is  ordered  in  Exodus  to  be  put  on  all  the  temple- 
plate  !  !  !  was  not  upon  the  utensils  of  the  first  temple,  but  it  was  in 
use  during  the  second  temple,  (by  which,  I  suppose,  he  wishes  to 
insinuate  that  the  motto  was  engraved  upon  the  utensils  of  the  second 
temple) ;  for  proof  we  are  referred  to  Zech.  chap.  xiv.  v.  20 :  and, 
lastly,  as  to  the  book  of  Genesis,  whereas  it  contains  (chap,  xxxvi.  v. 
31)  a  list  of  eight  kings  who  reigned  in  Idumea — ^ih  "]bn  *f?D  ^th 
hvrw  which  is  rendered  in  the  English  version,"  before  there  reigned 
any  king  over  the  children  of  Israel" — from  this  it  follows,  that  the 
book  was  not  written  till  long  after  Moses,  i.  e.  after  the  introduction 
of  royalty  among  the  Israelites ;  and  since  the  princes  of  Edom  are 
mentioned  in  chap.  xv.  v.  15,  of  Exodus,  the  Archaeologist  draws  ano- 
ther argument  against  this  latter  book  having  been  redacted  to  its 
present  form  before  Jeremiah.  Reader,  hast  thou  ever  heard  igno- 
rance presuming  to  teach  wisdom  ?  If  not,  please  to  procure  for  thy 
perusal  the  38th  volume  of  Sir  R.  Phillips's  Monthly  Magazine,  and 
when  thou  hast  read,  with  the  utmost  attention  what  is  said  there, 
pp.  34,  35,  by  the  learned  critic,  in  relation  to  the  antiquity  of  the 
biblical  writings,  thou  wilt  agree  with  me,  that  hardly  a  more  foolish 
piece  of  criticism  was  ever  committed  to  paper,  and  that  no  man  could 


APPENDIX.  201 

be  more  ignorant  of  the  subject  he  presumes  to  discuss,  than  our 
would-be-learned  antiquary.  Let  us  see  what  he  says  in  relation  to 
the  first  reason  he  gives  for  his  assertion,  that  Solomon  must  have 
been  ignorant  of  what  is  contained  in  the  twenty -fifth  chapter  of  Exo- 
dus—because  he  made  "  eleven  single  candlesticks."  I  did  consult 
the  passage  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Kings;  but,  un- 
fortunately for  the  Archaeologist's  position,  the  Hebrew  word  used  is 
nninn  which  ought  to  be  translated  "the  candelabres,"  but  not 
"  the  candlesticks  j"  and,  in  fact,  the  verse  concludes  with—"  and  the 
flower-works,  and  the  lamps,  and  the  tongues  were  gold."  I  will  but 
briefly  state  that  nj  {Nave)  means  a  single  lamp ;  mJD  (Menorah), 
however,  an  assemblage  of  lamps,  or  candelabre,  plural,  m^UQ,  seve- 
ral assemblages  of  lamps,  or  simply  candelabres  ;  in  short,  Nare  and 
Menorah  bear  the  same  relation  in  Hebrew  as  mount  and  mountain 
do  in  English.  The  n  is  equivalent  to  the  English  definite  article 
the ;  and  for  these  reasons  nnJDH  should  be  translated  as  I  have 
done ;  and  this  must  be  apparent  to  every  one,  even  if  he  be  entirely 
unacquainted  with  the  Hebrew.  If  the  Archaeologist  had  now  but 
reflected  what  could  be  meant  by  the  definite  article,  he  would  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  alludes  evidently  to  a  known  form, 
which  form  is  given,  in  continuation,  to  be  fiowerwork,  lamps,  and 
tongues :  and  is  this  not  the  same  as  we  find  recorded  and  commanded 
in  Exodus,  chap,  xxv? 

To  his  second  objection  I  may  answer  explicitly,  that  the  critic 
overshot  the  mark  altogether.  The  inscription  he  speaks  of,  which, 
by  the  by,  ought,  properly  speaking,  to  be  given  in  English,  HOLY 
TO  THE  ETERNAL,  was  ordered  to  be  engraved  on  the  golden 
plate  only,  which  the  high  priest  wore  over  the  mitre ;  but  I  defy  the 
Archaeologist,  if  he  yet  lives,  or  any  other  person  who  has  adopted  his 
opinions,  to  produce  even  the  shadow  of  evidence  to  prove  that  this 
inscription  was  to  be  upon  any  other  utensil  spoken  of  in  Exodus. 
Was  Solomon  now  to  blame  for  not  doing  that  for  which  he  had  not 
the  least  warrant  in  the  Pentateuch?  But  our  critic,  to  show  his 
complete  ignorance,  concludes — "  but  (the  motto)  was  in  use  on  the 
return  from  captivity;"  and  refers  to  Zechariah,  chap.  xiv.  v.  20. 
This  verse,  however,  speaks  not  of  the  utensils  in  use  during  the  se- 
cond temple,  but  relates  to  the  time  of  the  Messiah,  for  the  prophet 
says:  "In  that  day  there  shall  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  HOLY 
TO  THE  ETERNAL;"  and  if  this  is  taken  in  connection  with  the 
whole  of  the  fourteenth  chapter,  every  intelligent  reader  will  easily  dis- 
cover, without  any  aid  of  mine,  the  time  of  which  Zechariah  treats. 
26 


202  APPENDIX. 

It  will  thus  be  seen,  that  the  second  objection  is  too  puerile  to  de- 
serve further  refutation.  We  now  come  to  the  reason  given  to  prove 
that  Moses  was  not  the  author  of  Genesis.  The  whole  objection  rests 
upon  the  words,  "  before  there  reigned  any  king  over  the  children  of 
Israel ;"  but  if  we  insert  a  single  particle,  namely,  "  yet,"  and  read 
"  before  there  yet*  reigned,"  &c.  all  difficulties  will  be  at  once  remov- 
ed ;  and  Moses,  then,  meant  to  say,  that  up  to  his  time  eight  kings 
had  been  reigning  over  Edom,  whereas  the  Israelites  had  had  no 
king  yet.  But  some  one  may  ask  me :  "  What  proof  can  you  produce 
that  your  construction  is  the  correct  one  ?"  I  will  then  give  this  as 
my  reason :  Saul,  the  first  king  of  Israel,  was  chosen  about  four  hun- 
dred years  after  the  Exodus ;  the  Israelites  resided,  at  the  lowest  cal- 
culation, two  hundred  and  ten  years  in  Egypt,  during  all  which  time 
there  were  probably  kings  in  Idumea.f  If  we  now  adopt  the  opinion 
of  the  critic,  the  average  reign  of  these  eight  kings  will  be  found  to  have 
been  seventy-six  years  !  But  allow  that  the  last  of  these  kings  lived  in 
Moses's  time :  the  whole  duration  of  their  collective  reign  may  then 
be  put  down  at  two  hundred  and  fifty,  and  the  average  reign  of  each 
at  thirty-one  years.  I  will  not  add  one  word  more,  but  leave  it  for 
all  judicious  men  to  decide  which  hypothesis  is  the  most  reasonable. 
If,  then,  the  thirty-sixth  chapter  of  Genesis  be  no  objection  to  its 
being  written  by  Moses,  no  argument  can  be  drawn  from  it  against 
the  authenticity  of  chap.  xv.  v.  15,  of  Exodus,  because  allusion  is  there 
made  to  the  dukes  of  Edom.  The  Archaeologist  is  further  mistaken 
in  supposing  that  the  Jewish  archives,  as  he  is  pleased  to  style  our 
sacred  canon,  were  ever  kept  in  the  ark ;  for  in  this  ark  were  only  the 

*  This  has  been  done  by  Mendelsohn  in  his  translation  of  the  Pentateuch, 
and  his  construction  is  perfectly  consonant  with  the  Hebrew  idiom,  as  it  is  well 
known  that  particles  are  frequently  omitted  in  this  language,  when  the  obvious 
sense  of  the  passage  will  supply  the  deficiency,  as  is  the  case  in  the  very  passage 
before  us. 

t  But  even  allow  that  Idumea  was  in  the  first  ages  of  its  settlement  governed 
by  Sheiks,  or,  as  they  are  termed  in  Genesis,  Alluphim,  hereditary  independent 
heads  of  tribes :  it  is  yet  very  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  whole  family  of 
Esau,  together  with  the  original  inhabitants  of  the  country,  "  the  children  of 
Sengir  the  Chory"  were  early  united  under  one  common  head,  though  each 
Sheik  or  Alluph  may  have  possessed  even  then  some  authority  under  the  chief, 
perhaps  in  the  mariner  of  baronial  tenure  in  the  middle  ages.  And  though,  if 
this  supposition  be  true,  the  average  reign  of  the  Idumean  monarchs  may  have 
been  rather  shorter  than  we  have  supposed,  yet  can  this  be  no  objection  to  inva- 
lidate the  position  assumed  in  the  text. 


APPENDIX.  203 

two  tables  on  which  the  Decalogue  was  inscribed  by  superhuman 
agency ;  but  the  Pentateuch  itself  was  kept  at  the  side  *iyo  of  the 
ark.  (See  Deut.  chap.  xxxi.  v.  26.)  When,  therefore,  the  critic 
wishes  to  draw  a  distinction  between  the  "  canon  of  the  ark"  and  the 
"  canon  of  the  temple" — a  distinction  entirely  unknown  to  the  He- 
brews, because  in  Solomon's  time  there  were  only  the  two  tables, 
(but  not  nothing*  as  A.  says,)  in  the  ark,  and  no  other  archives  (1 
Kings,  chap.  viii.  v.  9,) — he  comes  to  an  altogether  erroneous  conclu- 
sion; for  the  very  assertion  of  the  passage  in  Kings,  "  that  there  was 
nothing  in  the  ark  save  the  two  tables  which  Moses  had  placed  there 
in  Horeb,"  proves  most  incontestably  the  truth  of  the  opinion  I  have 
ventured  to  advance. 

That,  during  the  reigns  of  Menasseh  and  his  son,  who  were  very 
wicked,  and  addicted  to  idolatry,  the  study  of  the  law  was  much  ne- 
glected, and  that,  in  consequence,  the  copies  of  it  had  become  scarce, 
is  extremely  probable.  When,  therefore,  Josiah  had  read  the  contents 
of  the  book  which  was  found  in  the  temple,  in  the  twenty-sixth  year 
of  his  age,  and  the  eighteenth  of  his  reign,  he  sent  to  the  prophetess 
Hulda,  to  enquire  of  her  if  she  had  received  any  revelation  concern- 
ing what  God  intended  to  do  to  the  Israelites,  because  they  had  trans- 
gressed the  commandments  contained  in  the  book  which  had  been 
found.  What  evidence  can  be  produced  to  establish  that  this  book 
was  not  the  same  that  was  delivered  to  the  Levites  by  Moses  ?  I 
may  answer,  none  whatever.  On  the  contrary,  when  a  person  reads 
the  twenty-second  chapter  of  the  2d  Kings,  he  will,  if  not  predeter- 
mined not  to  be  convinced,  come  to  the  inevitable  conclusion,  that 
the  book  was  the  entire  Pentateuch,  since  Josiah  observed  precepts 
scattered  indiscriminately  through  the  whole  law,  (particularly  Exo- 
dus). And  if  it  even  will  not  be  admitted,  (because  the  supposition 
be  too  bold,)  that  the  book  was  the  autograph  of  Moses,  given  to  the 
Levites  just  before  his  death,  to  be  kept  at  the  side  of  the  ark,  that  is 
inside  of  the  temple,  in  the  holy  of  holies,  to  be  there  as  an  evi- 
dence against  the  Israelites, — every  one  must  confess  that  it  must 
have  been  a  similar  one. 

The  Archaeologist  is  further  pleased  to  inform  the  world,  that  "  the 
Hebrew  was  never  the  vernacular  language  of  Palestine,"  and  that 
the  Hebrew  Bible  now  extant  is  "  a  translation  from  the  original  lan- 
guage, made  for  the  use  of  the  Babylonian  court,  to  enable  it  the  better 

*  For  he  says  the  ark  was  empty,  and  did  not  even  contain  the  two  tables  of 
the  covenant. 


204  APPENDIX. 

to  govern  the  conquered  province."  If  any  man  were  to  come  for- 
ward and  say,  that  the  Declaration  of  Independence  is  a  translation  of  a 
Chinese  document,  written  three  thousand  years  before  the  creation : 
he  could  hardly  be  more  absurd  than  the  Archaeologist  is  in  saying, 
that  the  Hebrew  was  not  the  vernacular  tongue  of  the  Jews,  but  of  the 
Babylonian  court.  If  he  had  but  turned  over  to  the  book  of  Daniel, 
he  would  have  seen  that  the  language  called  Hebrew  was  not  the  one 
spoken  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  palace,  and  that  there  is  a  radical  differ- 
ence between  the  Hebrew  and  the  Chaldean  languages ;  and  that  the 
latter  was  the  one  spoken  and  understood  by  the  Babylonians.  Daniel, 
therefore,  when  he  speaks  of  what  occurred  in  the  king's  palace,  uses 
the  last  mentioned  language ;  but  when  he  narrates  his  visions  and 
prayers,  and  in  the  first  chapter,  he  uses  his  own  vernacular  tongue, 
the  Hebrew.  If,  now,  the  Hebrew  was  not  vernacular  in  Palestine, 
how  do  the  Scriptures  exist  at  all  in  that  language  ?  Could  the  Ba- 
bylonians possibly  have  ordered  a  translation  into  this  language,  when 
they  and  the  Jews  were  ignorant  of  it  ?  What  should  have  been  the 
use  of  it  ?  Turn  the  matter  as  you  will,  you  must  arrive  at  the  con- 
clusion, that  the  Hebrew  was  the  language  spoken  by  the  Israelites, 
previous  to  their  abduction  to  Babylon,  and  that  the  Scriptures  ever 
existed  in  this  same  language,  and  in  the  same  style  in  which  we 
now  possess  them. 

The  Archaeologist  also  says,  "  that  the  Decalogue  must  be  an  inter- 
polated fragment,  introduced  after  the  captivity."  His  reasons  are, 
first,  because  Joshua  did  inscribe  the  Decalogue  existing  in  his  time 
on  a  single  altar;  and,  secondly,  because  the  long  fling  against  sculp- 
ture could  not  have  been  inserted  till  after  the  destruction  of  the 
brazen  serpent.  (2  Kings,  chap,  xviii.  v.  4.)  Let  us  consider  these  ob- 
jections. 

1.  "  Could  Joshua  inscribe  the  Decalogue,  as  now  existing,  in  large 
legible  letters  on  a  single  altar?"  I  answer,  yes ;  for  in  Exodus,  chap, 
xxvii.  v.  1,  we  read  that  the  altar  made  in  the  wilderness  was  to  be 
five  cubits  long,  five  cubits  broad,  and  three  cubits  high ;  let  it  also  be 
considered  that  this  altar  was  carried  about  from  place  to  place,  but 
that  the  one  built  by  Joshua  upon  mount  Ebal  was  a  permanent 
structure,  built  of  blocks  of  entire  and  unhewn  stone,  and  so  large  that 
the  whole  Deuteronomy  TWO  mm  n  JPD  DN  was  written  on  it.  (Joshua, 
chap.  viii.  v.  32.)  If  we  now  even  admit  that  only  the  Decalogue 
was  inscribed  on  this  altar,  (which,  however,  remains  to  be  proven, 
for  not  a  word  is  said  about  the  Decalogue,)  and  that  the  altar  itself 
was  of  no  larger  dimensions  than  the  one  made  by  Moses,  it  will  yet 


APPENDIX.  205 

strike  every  one,  that  there  was  room  enough  for  the  Decalogue  upon 
a  surface  of  sixty  square  cubits,  if  the  letters  were  of  any  reasonable 
size. 

2.  "Could  the  inhibition  against  sculpture  have  been  known  before 
Hezekiah?"  Again  I  must  answer  in  the  affirmative.  "  But  did  not 
Moses  make  the  brazen  serpent?"  Certainly;  but  this  was  by  the 
special  command  of  God.  The  reason  for  this  order  may  perhaps 
have  been  this :  the  Israelites,  discontented  with  the  manna,  began  to 
murmur,  and  to  desire  something  which  they  thought  better.  (Numb, 
chap.  xxi.  v.  5.)  God,  to  punish  them,  sent  poisonious  serpents 
amongst  them,  who  killed  a  "  large  number  of  Israel."  Being  now 
convinced  of  their  sin,  and  conscious  of  their  ingratitude  towards  God 
and  Moses,  they  besought  him  to  pray  for  them  to  the  Eternal,  to  re- 
move the  reptiles  from  them.  Moses  thereupon  was  ordered  to  make 
a  serpent,  and  fix  it  upon  a  staff,  that  every  one  bitten  might  see  it, 
and  when  seeing  it  remember  his  sins,  ask  forgiveness,  and  thus  ob- 
tain a  prolongation  of  life.  As  we  also  read  in  Tractate  Roshe  Ha- 
shanah,  chap.  iii.  §  8 :  "  And  thus  it  is  also  said :  '  Make  thyself  a  ser- 
pent, and  place  it  upon  a  staff,  and  it  shall  be  that  every  one  who  is 
bitten,  and  looks  at  it,  shall  live.'  But  how  could  the  serpent  kill  or 
keep  alive  any  man?  The  serpent  itself  could  not;  but  when  the  Is- 
raelites looked  towards  it  on  high,  and  subdued  their  hearts  to  their 
Father  in  heaven,  they  were  cured  ;  and  if  not,  they  perished."  This, 
then,  was  the  object  of  the  brazen  serpent ;  but  it  was  done  away  with 
as  soon  as  the  occasion  for  which  it  was  made  had  passed ;  and  we 
find  no  mention  made  of  it  till  Hezekiah,  who  destroyed  it  because 
the  idolaters  in  his  father's  time  had  paid  it  adoration,  contrary  to 
law.  In  short,  the  brazen  serpent  was  but  a  temporary  suspension  of 
a  negative  precept,  similar  to  Elijah's  sacrifice  on  Carmel  (see  above, 
page  147);  but  this  precedent  was  on  no  account  to  be  imitated; 
and  can  any  proof  be  adduced  that  it  ever  was  by  those  judges 
and  kings  who  lived  according  to  the  precepts  of  the  law  ?  It  will 
therefore  be  seen  from  the  foregoing,  that  the  length  of  the  Decalogue 
is  no  argument  against  its  identity,  and  that  the  "  long  fling"  against 
sculpture  is  any  thing  but  interpolated. 

The  next  subject  for  enquiry  is  what  the  Archaeologist  says  in  regard 
to  the  feelings  towards  the  Egyptians  displayed  in  the  second  book,  the 
Exodus,  namely.  He  has  discovered  that  its  intention  is  to  rouse  hatred 
towards  the  Egyptians  in  the  bosom  of  the  Jews,  I  suppose  he  means 
by  the  narrative  of  our  long  sufferings  in  Egypt.  But  the  insinuation 
that  Jeremiah  therefore  must  have  been  the  author,  (so  says  the  Ar- 


206  APPENDIX. 

chaeologist,)  is  as  false  as  the  inference  is  unjust.  I  do  not  suppose 
that  any  person  will  doubt,  or  even  can  doubt,  that  the  situation  of  the 
Israelites  in  Egypt  was  the  most  abject  and  miserable.  A  historian 
of  our  people,  intimately  acquainted  with  all  that  occurred,  and  con- 
fining himself  strictly  to  facts,  transmits  an  account  of  the  hardships 
of  our  ancestors  to  posterity,  that  the  latest  descendants  of  Jacob  may 
learn  to  know  the  great  wonders  and  the  unbounded  mercy  of  God, 
in  redeeming  his  people  from  a  state  worse  than  death.  How  can  he 
be  charged  with  sinister  motives  in  so  doing  ?  Shall  history  not  speak 
what  is  true,  because,  forsooth,  prejudice  might  be  roused  against  ty- 
rants and  oppressors  ?  Shall  vice  be  unblushingly  practised,  and  vir- 
tue not  even  dare  to  raise  her  voice  to  denounce  the  evil?  This 
ought  certainly  not  to  be.  And  the  tyrant  will  ever  be  abhorred,  and 
the  wicked  be  denounced,  as  long  as  men  love  freedom,  and  preserve 
a  due  regard  for  virtue. 

If,  then,  the  book  of  Exodus  were  to  give  an  exaggerated  account 
of  our  affliction  in  Egypt,  the  charge  might  perhaps  be  sustained  j  or 
if  the  Pentateuch  would  even  insinuate  that  it  were  lawful  to  hate  the 
people  of  that  country,  the  author  might  then  be  accused,  with  some 
show  of  reason  at  least,  of  displaying  too  much  acrimony.  But  nei- 
ther is  the  case  :  all  our  sufferings  are  described  in  about  fifty  verses, 
and  that  without  comment,  which  was  indeed  unnecessary,  for  the 
enormities  practised  towards  us  required  not  many  words  to  make 
them  odious  ;  and  so  far  from  our  being  ordered  to  hate  the  Egyptians, 
we  are  commanded  (Deut.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  8,)  to  receive  the  grandson 
of  an  Egyptian  proselyte  into  the  congregation,  "  because  we  were 
strangers  in  his  land;"  and  this  surely  looks  very  different  from  hat- 
ing our  former  oppressors.  If  Jeremiah,  now,  had  altered  the  Penta- 
teuch, and  added  just  what  he  pleased,  would  he  have  suffered  the 
last  passage  adduced  to  remain  as  a  damning  record  against  him"? 
Surely  not.  Upon  the  whole,  it  will  be  self-evident  that  all  the  out- 
cry of  the  Archaeologist*  is  mere  imagination,  and  the  emanation  of  a 
mind  filled  with  prejudice,  and  bent  upon  weakening  the  authority  of 

*  This  is  a  proper  place  to  warn  my  readers  against  taking  any  thing  upon 
trust,  till  they  have  examined  for  themselves.  Our  law,  our  prophets,  and  our 
Rabbins  have  been  charged  by  men  of  learning  even  with  uttering  things  which 
were  the  farthest  from  their  thoughts.  And  though  these  charges  are  made 
with  the  utmost  assurance,  yet  would  I  remind  my  brethren,  the  Jews,  that  this 
is  the  cloak  which  ignorance  usually  assumes  to  hide  her  defects ;  wisdom  is  al- 
ways diffident,  and  rather  yields  a  little,  than,  by  being  too  positive,  injure  the 
cause  of  truth  and  piety. 


APPENDIX.  207 

the  Mosaic  law ;  and  that  the  whole  is  no  more  founded  upon  truth, 
than  his  concluding  assertion,  or  rather  insinuation,  that  Jeremiah 
quoted  at  Babylon  documents  altogether  new  to  him,  up  to  the  time 
of  his  making  the  selections  for  composing  the  Pentateuch  (!)  ;  which 
must  be  untrue,  for  Jeremiah  never  was  in  Babylon,  since  we  know 
from  his  own  account,  that  he  fled  from  Palestine  into  Egypt.  This 
country  he  never  left  afterwards,  for  he  died  there  ;  and  I  defy  any 
person  to  produce  the  slightest  proof  to  establish  that  he  ever  was  in 
Babylon.  The  charges  made  by  the  Archaeologist  against  Jeremiah 
for  want  of  patriotism  require  no  refutation,  as  every  body  will  no 
doubt  be  gladly  inclined  to  acquit  him  of  a  crime — for  crime  it  is — of 
which  Jews  are  but  seldom  guilty ;  for  a  national  feeling,  deep-rooted 
and  heartfelt,  is  their  principal  characteristic.  And  do  not  the  La- 
mentations of  Jeremiah  of  themselves  sufficiently  prove  how  deeply 
he  felt  and  mourned  for  the  downfal  of  Jerusalem  ? 


Since  some  of  my  readers  may  perhaps  think  this  criticism  of  mine 
out  of  place,  I  deem  it  necessary  to  state  the  following  reason  as  my 
justification.  Having  seen  by  accident  the  remarks  of  the  critic,  I 
thought  to  myself,  who  is  this  uncircumcised  Philistine,  that  he  blas- 
phemes so  against  our  holy  law  ?  Again  I  reflected,  and  found  that 
his  arguments  were  perhaps  as  good  as  can  be  adduced  in  favour  of 
his  position.  I  resolved,  therefore,  to  refute  them,  thinking  that,  by 
doing  so,  I  should  in  the  best  manner  possible  establish  the  assertion 
at  the  head  of  the  second  chapter ;  and  I  hope  that  I  have  proved  al- 
most beyond  a  doubt  that  Moses,  and  Moses  alone,  must  have  been 
the  writer  of  the  books  which  bear  his  name. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  remark,  that  most  objections  raised  against 
the  authenticity  of  the  Bible  are  predicated  upon  the  not  understand- 
ing of  our  language  and  our  customs ;  and  it  therefore  happens,  that, 
whether  they  are  urged  by  a  Voltaire,  a  Payne,  a  Cooper,  or  an  un- 
learned man  of  the  lowest  degree,  they  all  bear  the  characteristic  of 
consisting  more  of  assertion  without  proof  than  of  sound  argument. 
And  however  formidable  they  may  appear  to  one  who  only  reads  a 
translated  Bible,  which  naturally  must  contain  more  or  less  inaccura- 
cies, they  can  weigh  but  little  with  one  acquainted  with  the  language 
and  habits  of  the  people  to  whom  the  Bible  was  given.  Much  more 
might  be  added ;  but  the  length  to  which  the  subject  has  been  carried 
already  admonishes  me  to  desist  for  the  present. 


THE 


JEWS  AND  THE  MOSAIC  LAW. 


PART  THE  SECOND: 


CONTAINING 


FOUR  ESSAYS  ON  THE  RELATIVE  IMPORTANCE  OF 
JUDAISM  AND  CHRISTIANITY. 


BY 
A    NATIVE    OF    GERMANY, 

AND 

A  PROFESSOR    OF   CHRISTIANITY. 


:  yvrm  usum1)  -\m  oipn  pt^S  Sdi 

"  Every  weapon  forged  against  thee  shall  not  prosper ;  and  thou  shalt  condemn 
every  tongue  rising  against  thee  in  judgment." — Isaiah,  liv.  17. 


I 


INTRODUCTION. 


Perhaps  some  person  may  be  disposed  to  think  that  it  displays  a 
considerable  degree  of  rancour  to  republish  the  reply  to  an  attack 
long  since  forgotten,  or  at  least  lost  sight  of.  He  may  say  :  "  Few 
ever  read  the  Quarterly  Review,  and  fewer  still  pay  sufficient  re- 
gard to  its  allegations  to  retain  them  in  memory  after  a  lapse  of  five 
years."  But  1  must  say  in  answer,  that  no  one  actually  acquainted 
with  the  true  state  of  the  question  can  assert  with  any  regard  to 
truth,  that  the  charges  against  the  Jews  have  not  been  repeated 
since  the  appearance  of  that  article  in  the  London  Quarterly  Re- 
view, which  induced  me  to  contradict  the  usual  and  oft-repeated 
accusations.  In  the  second  place,  the  authority  which  the  said  pe- 
riodical has  amongst  the  literary  world  makes  its  opposition  worth 
something  more  than  to  treat  it  with  silent  contempt.  Besides,  a 
procedure  of  this  nature  presupposes  such  a  share  of  greatness  and 
elevation  above  the  power  attacking,  such  as  we  Jews  can,  alas !  not 
boast  of  at  the  present  time.  We  have,  unfortunately,  too  often  felt 
the  talons  of  the  destroying  lion  riveted  in  our  flesh,  not  to  dread 
his  roar  even  now  ;  and  though  at  the  present  moment  his  power  of 
harming  be  considerably  diminished,  it  behooves  us  yet  to  be  watch- 
ful lest  he  overpower  us  from  our  not  heeding  the  covert  where  he 
lies  in  wait,  thirsting  for  our  life's  blood.  With  this  I  do  not  mean 
to  say,  that  those  who  dislike  our  code  of  laws  would  wish  to  see 
us  led  again  to  slaughter ;  but  I  may  assert,  without  fearing  to  be 
called  illiberal,  that  many  a  good  Christian  would  be  glad  to  convert 
us,  if  not  by  fair,  well,  then,  by  foul  means ;  but  at  all  events  the 
Jews  must  be  converted.  No  one  can  deny  that  this  is  a  leading 
principle  with  a  large  number  of  persons,  who,  we  hardly  doubt,  are 
actuated  by  real  philanthropy,  since  they  imagine  that  their  doctrines 
are  as  beneficial  as  ours  are  alleged  to  be  pernicious.     Hence  it  ori- 


212  INTRODUCTION. 

ginates,  that  the  name  of  infidel  is  a  favourite  epithet  applied  to  us, 
together  with  unbelieving  Jew,  one  groping  in  darkness,  persecuting 
Jew,  and  many  more ;  and  hence  it  is  that  a  late  writer,  I  allude  to 
the  Rev.  H.  H.  Milman,  in  his  History  of  the  Jews,  says :  "  That  the 
best  and  wisest  of  the  Jews  were  not  equal  to  the  Christians ;"  and 
that  Bishop  M'llvaine,  in  his  Evidences  of  Christianity,  uses  the  fol- 
lowing phrases  :  "  Had  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem  been  able  to  deny  it, 
would  their  persecuting  enmity  have  permitted  them  to  be  silent  ?" 
and  "  Consider  the  three  thousand,  converted  from  bitter,  persecut- 
ing Judaism  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  on  the  eve  of  the  Pentecost." 
Who,  now,  reading  these  extracts,  merely  taken  at  random,  would 
think  otherwise  than  that  no  morality  of  the  purer  kind  is  taught  by 
the  Old  Testament,  and  that  the  spirit  of  the  Jews  is  persecution  ? 
And  do  not  the  reverend  and  learned  authors  of  these  respective 
works  see  that  they  raise,  by  their  ill-chosen  phraseology,  a  spirit 
of  persecution  and  hatred  towards  the  Jews  in  the  minds  of  their 
readers,  although  they  themselves  be  free  therefrom  ?  Add  to  this, 
that  the  infidel  Jews  are  prayed  for  at  prayer-meetings  and  in  public 
worship,  and  that  God  is  entreated  to  convert  them  to  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation :  and  I  am  confident  that  no  one  will  sincerely  blame  me 
when  1  maintain,  that  much  ill  will  is  constantly  raised,  though  per- 
haps innocently,  against  our  people.  We  suffer  doubly,  because  we 
have  no  means  of  dispelling  the  prejudice,  except  by  our  conduct, 
and  this  is,  unfortunately  for  us,  not  observed  with  sufficient  impar- 
tiality to  permit  people  to  form  a  correct  judgment.  Since  now  the 
charges  of  the  Quarterly  Review,  or  at  least  similar  ones,  are  con- 
stantly repeated  and  renewed,  I  trust  that  no  blame  will  attach  to  me 
for  republishing  a  reply  to  these  charges,  although  they  have  been 
made  in  their  peculiar  form  five  years  ago. 

Another  opinion  may  be  maintained  about  my  unimportance,  and 
the  little  good  I  can  do  by  appearing  voluntarily  and  uncalled  for  as 
the  champion  of  the  Jews.  Indeed  this  objection  is  much  more 
reasonable  than  the  uselessness  of  a  defence ;  but  all  I  can  say  in 
reply  is,  that  my  intentions  are  good,  and  that,  if  my  abilities  and 
standing  are  not  sufficient,  let  some  one  more  able,  and  upon  a  higher 
station  in  life,  and  more  known  to  the  public,  assume  the  respon- 
sibility, and  he  may  be  assured  that  1  shall  with  pleasure  yield  him 
the  palm  of  superiority. 


INTRODUCTION.  213 

Again,  some  person  may  fear  that  the  republication  of  the  four 
essays  subjoined  may  provoke  controversy ;  but  the  same  may  be 
urged  against  every  publication  upon  disputed  points  of  morality, 
politics,  science,  and  religion ;  and  let  it  be  observed,  that  contro- 
versy, if  carried  on  in  a  gentlemanly  and  modest  manner,  can  do  no 
harm ;  and  if,  unfortunately,  controversial  remarks  should  be  elicit- 
ed from  any  one  who  may  think  my  observations  improper,  (which, 
however,  I  hardly  anticipate,)  I  pledge  myself,  should  I  be  prevailed 
upon  to  give  an  answer,  not  to  suffer  my  zeal  to  run  away  with  my 
judgment,  and  that  I  shall  never  let  opprobrious  epithets  be  the 
cause  of  my  forfeiting  the  claims  to  moderation  which  is  perhaps 
the  only,  at  least  the  chief,  merit  of  my  writings.  In  conclusion,  1 
must  state,  that  I  mean  no  personal  disrespect  to  any  one  by  the 
allusions  I  may  have  made,  as  I  feel  no  ill  will  towards  the  respect- 
ive persons  whose  opinions  I  have  canvassed  or  alluded  to.  And  to 
show  that  my  comments  upon  the  London  Quarterly  Review  are  not 
too  harsh,  I  have  extracted  some  of  the  passages  1  have  commented 
on.  I  would  have  republished  the  whole  article  ;  but  this  is  useless, 
as  any  person  can  get  it  who  feels  a  great  curiosity  to  read  it ;  and 
then  1  have  not  replied  to  half  the  misstatements  and  charges 
made  in  the  article  under  question ;  and  even  these  extracts  would 
have  been  omitted,  were  it  not  that  it  is  better  to  let  every  person 
see  that  nothing  more  than  justice  has  been  done  to  the  Reviewer. 

I.  L. 

September,  1833. 

In  the  beginning  of  his  remarks,  the  Quarterly  Reviewer  says  (p. 
114): 

"  Is  it  too  much  to  say,  that  we  have  rather  left  them  among  our- 
selves as  vermin,  which  we  know  not  how  to  get  rid  of,  than  regard- 
ed and  treated  them  as  the  children  of  a  common  Father  ?  We  have 
not  even  afforded  them  any  portion  of  that  compassion  which  usage 
and  opinion  would  require  that  we  should  at  least  appear  to  feel  for 
fallen  greatness." 

This  sounds  liberally  enough, — but,  now,  as  to  the  remedy,  which 
of  course  is  to  be  the  effect  of  compassion  for  fallen  greatness  (p. 
130): 

"  Civil  enactments,  with  reference  to  this  peculiar  people,  require 


214  INTRODUCTION. 

much  deliberation.    We  may  harm  both  them  and  ourselves  by  hasty 
and  injudicious  attempts  to  benefit  them." 

After  saying  that  oppression  would  not  do,  he  continues  (p.  131) : 

"  On  the  other  hand,  to  give  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  citizens 
to  them,  whilst  holding  to  Judaism,  [reader,  reflect !]  would  be  to 
bind  ourselves  wholly  to  those  who  cannot  so  bind  themselves  to  us  ; 
to  confer  on  them  a  strength  which  might  be  turned  against  ourselves ; 
and  to  compel  them  of  course  to  contract  reciprocal  obligations,  which 
their  highest  duties — in  their  view — national,  political,  and  religious, 
must  force  them  to  violate  at  such  a  call  as  they  shall  believe  to  be 
that  of  their  promised  deliverer."  Ergo  (page  130) :  "  If  the  discord- 
ant and  painful  position  of  the  Jews  amongst  us,  and  the  prejudicial 
effects  of  the  mode  of  their  existence  as  a  crude,  unamalgamated,  and 
heterogeneous  mass  [hard  words,  truly],  arise  from  their  Judaism, 
and  from  their  refusal  to  adopt  the  religion  of  Christendom,*  then 
every  rule  of  sound  policy  urges  us  to  promote,  by  means  of  persua- 
sion, [or  bribes  too  ?]  and  as  far  as  we  can,  the  reception  of  the  gospel 
by  them." 

The  Reviewer  expresses  himself  in  the  following  manner  when 
speaking  of  the  Jews  (p.  115) : 

"  The  greatest  accumulation  of  them  on  any  one  point  in  Europe  is 
in  the  countries  of  ancient  Poland,  now  forming  Russian,  Austrian, 
and  Prussian  Poland,  and  the  modern  kingdom  of  Poland  under  the 
sceptre  of  the  emperor  of  Russia.  It  is  stated  by  Beer,  that  many 
centuries  ago  a  considerable  body  of  Jews  migrated  from  France  into 
Germany,  whence  many  of  their  descendants  passed  into  Poland  ;  but 
they  must  have  remained  long  in  Germany  before  this  second 
swarm  hived  itself  in  Poland.'''' 

And  further  down  he  continues  : 

"  There  are  great  numbers  of  Jews  in  the  parts  of  Turkey  contigu- 
ous to  Poland ;  but  there  they  literally  swarm ;  they  are  innkeepers, 
tradesmen,  distillers  of  brandy,  brewers,  horse-dealers,  money-chang- 
ers, usurers,!  as  every  where  else ;  some  few  of  them  are  farmers 

*  Which  is  that  ? — the  catholic — episcopal — methodist — baptist — Greek — 
presbyterian  ?  Would  it  be  possible  to  convert  the  Jews  to  the  Christian  reli- 
gion without  making  them  sectarians  ?  * 

t  Mind,  reader,  usury  is  a  trade  of  the  Jews :  no  Christians  are  ever  brokers, 
stock-jobbers,  money-changers,  and  usurers, — no,  not  they  indeed  !  This  is  all 
left  for  the  hated  Jews  to  do,  for  the  good  reason  the  Germans  gave  when  they 


INTRODUCTION.  215 

of  the  soil.  Their  numbers  have  increased  of  late  years  so  rapidly  as 
greatly  to  alarm  and  embarrass  the  governments  of  countries  which 
afford  but  slender  resources  for  a  population  so  averse  to  be  engaged 
in  tillage.  The  evil  of  this  immense  accumulation  of  such  a  people, 
having  one  common  interest  and  feeling,  both  of  which  are  foreign  to 
the  interests  and  feelings  of  the  citizens  of  the  state,  is  felt,  especially 
by  the  Russian  government." 

"  Since  the  time  of  Mendelsohn,  many  of  them  have  studied  with 
much  success  in  its  (Germany's)  universities;  of  these  Professor 
Neander,  now  a  Christian,  [mark,  now  a  Christian !]  may  be  cited  as 
a  very  creditable  specimen." — p.  116. 

"But  when  these  feudal  properties,  besides  many  of  the  finest 
houses  in  the  German  capitals,  passed  thus  into  Israelitish  hands, 
it  was  in  the  course  of  things  that  the  people  should  view  with 
envy  and  indignation  (!)  these  foreign  unbelieving  money-changers 
[why  not  at  once  Christ-killers  ?]  climbing  up  on  the  pedestals  from 
which  the  statues  of  Christian  knights  and  barons  of  ancient  race  had 
been  hurled  down  by  the  storms  which  shook  their  native  land  to  its 
centre." — p.  117. 

"  Pharisaism  has  descended  uninterruptedly  to  the  rabbinical  Jews ; 
their  modern  rabbis  are  the  lineal  spiritual  descendants  of  the  scribes 
and  lawyers  of  the  time  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  it  appears  that  the  whole 
of  the  traditionary  additions  to  the  law  existing  then  are  in  vigour 
now,  and  that  they  have  been  fearfully  augmented  since  then.  We 
spare  our  readers  citations  from  the  blasphemous  and  horrible  absurdi- 
ties of  the  Talmud,  which  professes  to  have,  as  its  groundwork,  an 
oral  revelation  made  by  God  to  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai,  when  he  deli- 
vered, the  law  to  him ;  nor  will  we  add  a  statement  of  the  supersti- 
tions which  harass  the  Jew,  or  of  that  demonology  which  arrays  innu- 
merable maleficent  invisible  agents  in  arms  against  his  health  and  happi- 
ness, under  all  and  the  strangest  circumstances.  In  Russian  Poland  the 
Jews  bury  their  dead  hastily,  judging  them  to  be  such  when  no  steam 
appears  on  a  glass  applied  to  the  mouth.  If  the  jolting  of  the  cart  re- 
calls life  and  action,  they  believe  that  it  is  a  devil  who  occupies  the 
body,  and  deal  with  it  accordingly  :  thus  says  a  very  respectable  Jew, 
an  eye-witness  [?]  born  and  bred  there.  He  adds,  that  they  are  armed 
against  our  reasonings  on  the  Old  Testament,  (of  which,  however, 
they  know  very  little,)  by  the  assurances  of  their  rabbis,  that  the  Al- 

permitted  Jews  to  buy  stolen  goods  and  take  interest  for  money  lent — "  Their 
souls  are  once  belonging  to  the  devil,  and  it  can  make  no  difference  whether 
they  have  these  sins  in  addition  to  answer  for  or  not !" 


216  INTRODUCTION. 

mighty  has  placed  ma#ny  things  in  the  text  as  stumbling-blocks  to  the 
Gentiles,  but  that  the  truth  is  to  be  found  in  the  marginal  notes  from 
the  Targum,  which  are  given  as  infallible  guides  to  the  Israelites 
alone.  They  are  taught  that  the  seven  nations  of  the  land  of  Canaan 
were  Christian,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  [!]  was  a  magician.  How  deeply 
they  feel  the  want  of  a  mediator,  is  evident  from  a  part  of  a  prayer 
used  by  them  on  the  day  of  atonement,  which  runs  thus  :  '  Woe  unto 
us,  for  we  have  no  mediator.'  The  Jew  on  the  bed  of  death  can  see 
nothing  in  his  God  but  an  inexorable  judge,  whose  wrath  he  cannot 
deprecate,  and  whose  justice  he  cannot  satisfy.  At  all  times,  but  in 
sickness  especially,  the  thought  or  mention  of  death  is  terrible  to  him ; 
the  evil  eye,  ever  an  object  of  horror,  is  then  peculiarly  so  ;  they  then 
fear  their  nearest  and  dearest  friends  looking  at  them.  We  can  find 
no  solution  of  this  mental  darkness  in  those  who  have  Moses  and  the 
prophets  for  their  guide,  and  millions  of  whom  have  lived  for  centu- 
ries amidst  the  civilisation  and  literature  of  Europe,  but  in  that  curse 
which  God  pronounces  against  rebellious  Israel, '  that  he  will  smite  him 
with  madness,  and  blindness,  and  astonishment  of  heart ;'  and  declares 
of  him  '  that  he  shall  grope  at  noonday,  as  the  blind  gropeth  in  dark- 
ness?' But  there  is  a  dispensation  of  heavenly  justice  and  mercy  re- 
specting Israel,  requiring  particular  attention.  An  unheard  of  crime 
required  an  unheard  of  punishment ;  and  the  race  were  condemned  to 
the  dispersion  and  captivity  in  which  they  still  languish.  But  while 
other  races,  long  trodden  under  foot,  like  the  Pariahs  of  India,  lose 
the  keen  sense  of  degradation,  and  of  the  injustice  of  men,  through  a 
continued  habit  of  humiliation,  and  with  blunted  feelings  endure  them 
as  a  matter  of  course — it  is  not  so  with  the  Jew.  He  has  implanted 
in  his  bosom  a  national  and  spiritual  pride — a  fierce  constancy  and  a 
contempt  of  his  oppressors,  which  constantly  exasperate  and  keep 
alive  his  sense  of  pain  and  degradation.  This  pride  and  contempt 
are  infused  into  him  by  the  extravagant,  most  uncharitable,  and  often 
blasphemous  [?]  assertions  of  his  rabbi.  But  from  this  very  arrogance 
which  increases  his  sufferings,  springs  that  principle  of  resistance  and 
opposition  under  which  the  Jews  have  clung  together  and  struggled 
incessantly  against  the  storms  that  have  buffetted  them  for  ages ;  and 
it  is  this  loftiness  of  mind,  so  ill  suited  to  their  present  lot,  that  will 
the  better  enable  them  to  seek,  contend  for,  and  maintain  those  higher 
and  nobler  destinies  which  are  placed  before  their  sight  in  a  glorious 
futurity.  It  is  the  consciousness  of  his  past  and  his  future  fortunes 
which  gives  to  the  Jew  a  buoyancy  and  a  tendency  to  rise  above  the 
surface  of  the  waves,  even  when  plunged  deep  below  them,  unknown 


INTRODUCTION.  217 

to  other  depressed  nations,  and  which  inspires  into  him  (he  will  and 
the  means  to  seek  the  level  of  his  promised  fortunes ;  for  even  the 
meanest  Jew  considers  himself  as  personally  invested  with  national 
and  spiritual  greatness.  Israel  has  within  him  another  principle  of 
resistance.  He  was,  from  the  first,  reproached  with  being  a  '  stiff- 
necked  generation  ;'  and  stubborn  as  he  was  in  the  desert,  so  he  is 
now,  whether  you  find  him  in  the  streets  of  London,  or  of  Cairo,  or  in 
a  Polish  forest.  His  eye,  his  nose,  and  his  narrow  upper  jaw  are  not 
more  especial  marks  of  his  physical  conformation,  than  is  his  stub- 
bornness a  distinguishing  feature  of  his  mind.  It  is  this  obstinacy 
which  creates  one  of  our  greatest  difficulties  in  dealing  with  him. 
Proteus  could  be  bound  by  no  knot,  because  he  perpetually  changed 
his  shape — the  Jew  can  be  bound  by  none,  because  he  will  not  change 
his.  In  other  nations,  corruption  and  abandonment  of  religion  have 
been  a  mighty  cause  of  moral  and  national  decadence :  but  the  moral 
and  national  wreck  of  the  Jewish  people  was  caused  by  their  stiiF- 
necked  adherence,  in  despite  of  type  and  prophecy,  to  a  religion  super- 
seded by  a  purer  code  of  heavenly  laws. 

"  It  has  been  often  observed,  that,  under  every  religion  which  was 
originally  false,  or  has  degenerated  into  falsehood,  the  weaker  sex  is 
not  possessed  of  the  advantages  it  holds  under  the  true.  Superstition 
corrupts  the  heart  while  it  weakens  the  understanding ;  and  where 
that  charity,  which  springs  from  a  pure  faith  alone,  vanishes,  the 
stronger  animal  lords  it  over  the  feebler.  We  know  how  honourable 
was  the  situation  of  the  women  in  ancient  Israel.  We  have  Miriam, 
Deborah,  and  Hannah,  as  it  were,  before  our  eyes — but  the  Jewess  of 
these  days  is  treated  as  an  inferior  being.  Neither  religious  nor  moral 
instruction  is  vouchsafed  to  her ;  and  in  lieu  of  it  three  observances 
are  imposed  on  her,  as  comprising  her  whole  duty :  one  of  them  dou- 
bles a  restraint  enjoined  to  her  by  the  law,  the  two  others  are  purely 
mechanical.  The  only  book  given  to  the  rabbinical  Jewesses,  and 
given  in  childhood  to  them,  is  eminently  calculated  to  fill  their  minds 
with  the  most  impure  ideas,  as  well  as  with  the  falsest  notions  of  the 
divinity.  There  have  been,  however,  of  late,  extracts  from  the  Old 
Testament  published  in  Germany,  expressly  for  their  use  and  benefit. 
An  equally  mischievous  effect  in  polluting  the  minds  of  the  boys  must 
be  produced  by  an  instruction  which  they  are  compelled  to  make 
themselves  acquainted  with— and  this  also  in  childhood."— p.  119. 

"  Is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  that,  amidst  a  people  under  such  spiritual 
misrule  and  neglect,  confined  to  cities,  in  general,  occupied  mainly  in 
the  pursuit  of  petty  gains,  under  the  guidance  of  the  foul  and  uncha- 

28 


218  INTRODUCTION. 

ritable  abominations  of  the  Talmud,  a  great  relaxation  of  moral  prin- 
ciples has  taken  place,  and  especially  at  the  expense  of  those  whom 
they  hate  as  their  oppressors,  and  despise  as  heathens  and  unclean  ? 
Indeed  there  are  many  precepts  of  their  rabbis  utterly  subversive  of 
honesty  in  all  their  dealings  with  Gentiles.  Antonio  Margarita,  a 
converted  Jew  of  the  sixteenth  century,  reproached  them  with  the  Col 
Nidre,  an  absolution,  pronounced  at  the  yearly  feast  of  atonement,  to 
all  present,  for  all  perjuries  and  breaches  of  vows  and  engagements, 
committed  by  them  in  the  preceding  year.  It  is  so  called,  from  the 
two  words  with  which  a  prayer  used  at  that  feast  begins :  the  night 
and  day  are  passed  in  prayer  and  fasting,  during  which  the  Jew 
wears  the  shroud  in  which  he  is  to  be  buried,  a  present  from  his  i 
father-in-law,  as  it  is  also  his  wedding  garment ;  and  then  this  abso- 
lution is  pronounced  to  him.  But  Eisenmenger,  in  his  '  Entdecktes 
Judenthum'  (Judaism  Unveiled),  published  in  the  seventeenth  centu- 
ry, upbraids  them  with  pronouncing  that  absolution  prospectively  in 
his  day,  that  is,  for  the  coming  year.  A  German  government,  aware 
of  this  fact,  not  long  since  caused  the  Jews,  when  sworn  in  cases  in 
which  Christians  were  concerned,  to  make  oath  that  they  were  not 
present  at  the  last  yearly  promulgation  of  this  absolution :  forgetting 
that,  if  they  were  present,  this  last  perjury  was  also  comprised  in  this 
precautionary  whitewashing.  It  is  not  long  since  (we  state  the  fact 
on  the  best  authority)  that  a  Polish  Jew  hired  his  rabbi  to  send  the 
angel  of  death  to  destroy  a  Polish  nobleman,  as  his  only  means  of  es- 
caping the  detection  of  an  heinous  fraud :  soon  after  this,  the  countess 
died,  but  the  husband  lived.  The  Jew  went  to  upbraid  his  rabbi,  who 
replied,  that  '  he  sent  the  angel  on  his  errand,  who,  not  finding  the 
count  at  home,  did  his  best  by  slaying  the  lady  ;'  and  this  satisfied  the 
complainant.     [Who  believes  this  story  ?] 

"  It  is  always  and  especially  to  be  observed,  that  these  and  the  like 
matters  are  stated  exclusively  of  the  rabbinical  Jews,  those  bent  down 
under  the  whole  weight  of  their  law  as  now  interpreted,  and  most  es- 
pecially of  them  as  they  are  found  in  their  northern  hive,  in  Poland. 
In  other  parts  of  Europe  there  are  great  numbers  of  Jews,  who  have 
profited  very  considerably  of  the  civilisation  which  surrounds  them, 
and  of  the  morality  of  the  gospel,  though  without  recognising  its  di- 
vine origin.  Amongst  them  there  are  many  amiable,  charitable,  libe- 
ral-minded men,  of  unquestioned  probity,  to  whose  virtues  we  offer  a 
willing  tribute  ;  and,  small  as  is  the  number  of  English  Jews,  we  have 
had,  and  have  amongst  us,  men  adorning  this  country  by  their  talents 
and  acquirements,  as  well  as  virtues,  who  trace  their  origin  to  them. 


INTRODUCTION.  219 

But  it  was  Mendelsohn,  the  translator  of  the  Pentateuch,  who  was  in 
truth  an  infidel,  that  gave  the  first  impulse  to  the  Jewish  mind  in  mo- 
dern days,  and  the  first  blow  to  Rabbinism :  he  was  seconded  by  able 
and  learned  Jews,  his  associates ;  a  taste  for  literature  and  science 
was  excited  amongst  their  nation." — p.  124. 

The  article  in  the  Review  contains  also  an  account  of  the  Caraites, 
a  small  sect,  and  the  only  dissenting  sect  of  Jews,  settled  in  Poland 
and  the  Crimea,  and  who  are  praised  as  being  far  superior  to  the 
rabbinical  Jews,  and  as  being  more  likely  to  receive  the  light  of  the 
gospel,  since  we  are  told  they  were  unable  to  answer  a  missionary 
who  was  sent  to  convert  them.  The  words  of  the  Reviewer  are  as 
follows : 

"A  missionary,  who,  in  travelling  through  Troki,  pressed  upon 
their  minds  the  truth  of  the  gospel  in  the  only  short  conversation  he 
had  an  opportunity  of  holding  with  them,  found  them  candid  and  well 
disposed  to  listen  :  they  were  surprised  at  his  arguments,  and  little 
able  to  reply  to  them,  as  they  know  nothing  of  the  quibbles  and  subtle- 
ties which  the  rabbinical  Jews  have  long  resorted  to  when  engaged 
in  controversy  with  Christians.  Who,  reflecting  on  the  pure  faith  of 
the  Caraites,  and  that  integrity,  industry,  and  virtue,  by  which  they 
have  every  where  impressed  sentiments  of  respect  and  esteem  for  them 
upon  the  people  with  whom  they  dwell,  would  not  fain  believe  that, 
though  exiles  from  Palestine,  they  are  exempt  from  the  worst  and 
final  curses  inflicted  by  the  Almighty  upon  Israel  for  the  worst  and 
blackest  of  his  crimes  ?  And  who  will  not  be  delighted  to  hear  that, 
whilst  the  rabbinical  Jews  can  give  no  clue  to  the  history  of  this  re- 
markable portion  of  the  race,  modern  discovery  seems  strongly  to  con- 
firm the  views  cherished  among  the  Caraites  themselves  ?  Mr.  Wolff, 
the  missionary,  having  learned  that  a  body  of  Caraites  was  establish- 
ed in  the  desert  of  Hit,  at  three  days'  journey  from  Bagdad,  visited 
them.  The  account  which  they  gave  him  was,  that,  their  fathers, 
during  the  Chaldean  captivity,  perceiving  that  their  brethren  were 
corrupting  the  pure  faith  by  amalgamating  with  it  the  philosophical 
doctrines  of  the  country,  '  sat  down  by  the  waters  of  Babylon,  and 
wept  when  they  remembered  Sion ;'  that  in  order  to  imprint  the  Scrip- 
tures unmixed  on  their  hearts,  they  read  them  incessantly,  and  were 
thence  called  Caraites,  or  readers;  and  that,  when  the  others  returned 
from  the  captivity,  they  separated  themselves,  to  escape  their  offences 
and  punishments,  and  retired  to  the  very  spot  where  the  missionary 
found  them.     He  there  saw  these  '  children  of  the  Bible,'  as  they  call 


220  INTRODUCTION. 

themselves,  living  an  Arab  life  in  cottages;  they  arc  a  very  fine  peo- 
ple, and  the  women  singularly  handsome.  He  was  struck  with  their 
unvarying  truth,  of  which  their  neighbours  allow  the  merits,  but  prac- 
tise it  not ;  and  they  are  remarkable  for  their  honesty  and  cleanliness. 
They  said  that  they  had  sent  colonies  to  Cairo  and  to  Ispahan,  where 
a  synagogue  still  bears  an  inscription,  which  shows  that  it  belonged 
to  them.  Benjamin  de  Tudela,  it  is  said,  found  the  same  people  living 
in  the  same  manner  at  Hit,  six  hundred  years  ago.  They  speak  pure 
Arabic,  but  all  know  and  read  Hebrew ;  they  state  the  whole  number 
of  their  sect  to  be  five  thousand,  and  that  they  are  the  original  stock 
of  it.  They  call  their  ministers  '  wise  men,'  and  know  not  the  name 
of  rabbis."— p.  127. 

I  must  make  here  a  remark  or  two,  since  the  extract  here  given 
contains  two  untrue  inferences  which  I  have  not  noticed  in  my  reply. 
The  first  is  as  to  the  name  Cardites  having  been  brought  into  use 
during  the  Babylonian  captivity,  which  is  the  farthest  possible  from 
truth,  since  the  name  is  mentioned  nowhere,  at  least  as  far  as  my  read- 
ing extends,  till  long  after  the  destruction  of  the  second  temple ; 
and  we  must  therefore  disbelieve  the  statement  of  the  Caraites,  even 
allowing  the  Rev.  Joseph  WohTdid  not  tell  a  deliberate  falsehood  to 
obtain  the  credit  of  a  great  discovery.  The  second  misstatement  is, 
that  the  Caraites  call  their  ministers  "  wise  men,"  from  which  one 
would  infer  that  the  Rabbinists  do  not  do  the  same,  whereas  the 
contrary  is  the  case  ;  for  we  always  speak  of  our  wise  men,  but  never 
of  our  Rabbins ;  and  any  one  in  the  least  acquainted  with  rabbinical 
writings  must  know  that  the  phrase  of  "  our  wise  men  say,"  is  that 
generally  used  when  speaking  of  the  Rabbins  as  a  body.  Besides 
this,  the  Portuguese  Jews,  also  Rabbinists,  call  their  chief  Rabbi  Ha- 
cham,  or  the  wise  man.  The  whole  matter  is  but  of  small  import- 
ance, but  it  proves  the  unfairness  of  the  accusations  against  us. 

"  The  Jews  at  Constantinople,  forty  thousand  in  number,  and  in 
the  parts  of  European  Turkey  on  and  near  the  Mediterranean,  speak 
Spanish,  and  appear  to  descend  from  Israelites  driven  from  Spain  by 
persecution.  The  Bible  Society  are  now  printing  at  Corfu  the  New 
Testament,  in  Jewish-Spanish,  for  their  benefit." — p.  129. 

"  When  we  speak  of  the  conversion  of  the  Jews  as  a  thing  which  is 
a  desideratum  for  the  European  governments,  nothing  can  be  further 
from  our  intentions  than  to  suggest  that  (hey  should  mix  in  it  direct- 
ly ;  we  are  well  :iwaro  (hat  it  could  not  be  usefully  even  attempted  by 


INTRODUCTION.  221 

them, — for  this,  among  other  reasons, — that  their  so  doing  would  ex- 
cite extreme  mistrust  and  jealousy :  they  should,  undoubtedly,  how- 
ever, view  such  attempts,  if  prudently  made,  with  favour  and  good 
will,  and  endeavour  to  lead  to  them  by  advice  and  encouragement. 
But  if  political  wisdom  urges  us  to  encourage,  by  all  prudent  and  cha- 
ritable means,  the  promotion  of  Christianity  amongst  the  Jews,  our 
religion  summons  us  to  the  same  duty  with  a  far  more  powerful  voice. 
What  can  show  more  strongly  that  inveteracy  of  uncharitableness 
towards  the  Jews,  which  has  grown  out  of  long  indulgence  in  the 
feeling,  than  the  disfavour  accompanying  the  attempt  to  convert 
them  ?  There  are  even  many  who  will  contribute  to  the  support  of 
missions  to  distant  nations,  to  which  we  owe  no  atonement,  and  yet 
withhold  their  aid  from  those  whose  aim  it  is  to  give  the  gospel  to  the 
Israelites  who  dwell  in  our  cities,  and  who  have  so  long  been  trodden 
down  under  our  feet.  That  very  degraded  moral  state,  which  gives  the 
Jew  his  strongest  claim  to  our  assistance,  is  urged  as  a  reason  why  it 
should  be  withheld  from  him  as  one  past  help  and  amendment !  He 
is  vilified  for  blindness,  perverseness,  obstinacy,  if  he  adheres  to  the 
faith  of  his  fathers ;  and  he  is  vituperated  as  insincere  and  interested, 
if  he  abandons  it  to  profess  our  own  !" — p.  131. 

"  In  this  state  of  things,  the  question  may  naturally  be  addressed  to 
the  European  Christians  :  what  endeavours  they  have  made  to  convey 
the  gospel  to  the  ancient  people  of  God. 

"  We  may  dispense  with  any  allusion  to  the  Sunday  exposition  of 
the  errors  of  Judaism,  which  the  Jews  at  Rome  are  compelled  to  hear, 
or  to  the  flames  of  the  Spanish  auto  da  ft.  The  Jew  has  peculiar 
feelings,  which  will  ever  cause  him  to  repel  the  hand  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  even  were  it  tendered  in  kindness." — p.  132.  [But  are  the 
Jews  more  inclined  to  the  Protestant  sects  ?] 

"  The  next  attempt  made  by  any  body  of  men  to  communicate  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel  to  the  Hebrews  was  that  of  the  '  London 
Society  for  promoting  Christianity  amongst  the  Jews.'  It  was  formed 
in  1809,  and  its  founders  appear  not  to  have  known  that  the  Callen- 
berg  Institution  had  existed.  It  has  been  for  many  years  a  religious 
society  of  the  church  of  England  exclusively.  Its  revenues  arise  from 
voluntary  contributions,  and  were  last  year  between  fourteen  and  fif- 
teen thousand  pounds.  It  has  translated  the  New  Testament  into 
Hebrew,  and  employs  various  missionaries  abroad,  particularly  in 
Poland,  where  they  enjoy  especial  protection  from  the  government. 
Other  societies  have  been  formed  subsequently  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  with  the  same  object,  either  in  connection  with  that  society, 


222  INTRODUCTION. 

or  acting  independently  of  it;  and  the  continent  is  beginning  to  follow 
this  example." — p.  133. 

"  The  difficulties,  however,  are  great,  and  must  not  be  disguised. 
The  Jews  resisted  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  of  his 
inspired  apostles :  the  traditions,  which  so  materially  aided  in  causing 
that  resistance,  have  multiplied  an  hundred  fold  since  then  ;  and  there 
arose  subsequently  amongst  them  a  new  and  deadly  repugnance  to 
the  gospel,  as  being  the  law  of  their  own  persecutors.  At  the  com- 
mencement of  our  Lord's  mission,  the  Jews  attempted  his  life,  because 
he  signified  to  them  the  call  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  gospel ;  trodden 
under  foot  for  ages,  on  account  of  their  rejection  of  it,  by  those  Gen- 
tiles who  accepted  it,  they  traced  their  calamities  up  to  Christ,  with  a 
blindness  like  that  of  their  fathers,  and  heaped  upon  the  name  of  the 
Son  of  God  a  horrible  and  vindictive  hatred,  of  which  the  Talmud,  in 
its  text  and  commentary,  the  Mischna  and  Gemara,  bears  dreadful 
and  multiplied  evidence.  [Where  ?]  The  rabbis,  their  spiritual 
guides  and  rulers,  have  moreover  most  powerful  worldly  motives  for 
endeavouring  to  check  the  progress  of  the  gospel,  which  they  do,  by 
burning  tracts  and  the  New  Testament,  [who  informed  the  Quarterly 
Review  of  this  ?]  whenever  they  get  them  into  their  hands,  with  un- 
relenting activity,  and  by  harassing  the  Jews  who  are  inclined  to  turn 
their  attention  to  Christianity,  inter  alia,  by  curses  and  imprecations, 
of  which  they  have  long  possessed  a  fearful  store,  and  for  adding  to 
which  they  possess  a  facility  that  attests  the  effects  of  uninterrupted 
practice  and  Asiatic  imagination.  Their  priestcraft,  pre-eminence, 
power,  and  worldly  wealth  are  all  at  stake.  The  Jews,  moreover,  are 
scandalised,  especially  on  the  continent,  by  our  profanation  of  our 
own  Sabbath,  and  other  prevalent  impieties." — p.  134. 

"  The  missionaries  in  Poland,  on  visiting  places  for  the  first  time, 
have  frequently  found  in  the  hands  of  Jews,  and  conveyed  to  them  by 
other  Jews,  New  Testaments  and  tracts  originally  distributed  by 
themselves :  and  in  one  case,  a  Jew  was  converted  thus  by  a  tract 
given  to  him  by  one  of  his  brethren,  who  retained  his  Judaism.  Mr. 
Wolff  found  at  Ispahan  and  Cashan  Hebrew  New  Testaments,  which 
he  had  given  away  at  Jerusalem  and  Aleppo,  and  had  marked ;  and 
there  were  notes  subsequently  inserted,  recommending  them  to  the 
perusal  of  the  Persian  Jews ;  and  there  are  accounts  of  New  Testa- 
ments given  to  Jews  at  Ispahan,  having  been  sent  to  their  brethren  in 
Balk,  Bokhara,  and  Afghanistan.  The  Jews  of  one  of  their  colleges 
at  Mosul,  near  the  site  of  Nineveh,  showed  to  Mr.  Wolff  a  manuscript 
of  the  New  Testament  in  Arabic,  but  written  in  Jewish  characters ; 


INTRODUCTION.  223 

the  translator  was  a  rabbi,  now  dead,  but  whose  son  still  lives  there. 
Mr.  Wolff  found  it  to  be  a  good  translation.  They  refused  to  pari 
with  it.  The  rabbi  had  written  in  it  a  recommendation  to  peruse  it, 
addressed  to  the  members  of  the  colleges,  and  to  his  descendants. 
Mr.  Wolff  found  also,  in  the  library  of  the  Spanish  Jews  at  Jerusa- 
lem, a  Syriac  translation  of  the  New  Testament  written  in  Hebrew 
characters.  This  is  the  less  surprising,  as  Schultze,  in  1754,  found 
the  eastern  Jews  less  disputatious  than  the  European,  and  especially 
than  the  German ;  and  they  heard  him  willingly.  He  tells  us,  more- 
over, that  they  do  not  talk  during  worship,  as  those  of  Europe  do." 
—p.  136.     [What  does  all  this  amount  to?] 

"  There  is  strong  evidence  that  Christianity  is  making  extensive, 
though  secret  progress  amongst  the  Jews  at  Constantinople.  Indeed, 
we  think  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  general  extent  of 
avowed  Christianity  amongst  the  Jews  is  very  greatly  less  than  that 
which  is  concealed  from  motives  of  fear,  from  aversion  to,  or  mistrust 
of  the  Christians,  and  from,  in  very  many  cases,  the  dread  of  forfeit- 
ure of  the  means  of  existence,  in  nearly  all,  of  breaking  the  bonds  of 
consanguinity  and  affection.  Three  such  cases  of  old  Jews  came 
lately  within  the  knowledge  of  one  individual  of  our  own  acquaint- 
ance, within  a  short  space  of  time  ;  two  of  them  had  been  converted 
by  the  perusal  of  tracts  circulated  amongst  their  brethren,  without 
their  having  ever  conversed  with  a  missionary ;  yet  these  men  were 
known  to  be  regularly  performing  the  rites  of  their  apparent  religion 
in  the  synagogue.     [Who  believes  this  ?] 

"  To  say  the  truth,  it  is  not  on  the  number  of  conversions  actual, 
visible,  and  averred,  effected  amongst  a  people  so  circumstanced  as 
the  Jews  now  are,  that  we  dwell  as  the  matter  of  the  most  import- 
ance. The  great  object  is  not  at  present  to  pursue  and  hunt  down, 
as  it  were,  single  Jews  to  conversion,  but  to  remove  the  prejudices, 
and  soften  the  hearts,  and  dispose  towards  Christianity  the  minds  of 
hundreds."  *  *  *  *  *  « in  general  it  may  be  affirmed,  on  the  best  and 
latest  testimonies  from  the  north  and  east  of  Europe,  and  from  the 
Persian  and  Ottoman  empires, — testimonies  which  coincide  com- 
pletely, and  in  a  way  that  is  most  striking, — that  very  many  of  the 
Jews,  now  bearing  far  less  hostile  feelings  towards  Christianity  than 
they  used  to  do,  on  account  of  its  being  professed  by  Gentiles,  have 
so  strong  a  conviction  of  the  beauty  of  the  morality  of  the  gospel, 
that  they  do  justice  to  it  in  despite  of  our  imperfect  practice  of  it,  and 
say  that  the  fault  is  in  us  and  not  in  our  law."— p.  138. 

"  In  the  German  universities,  whither  the  most  gifted  and  ardent  of 


224  INTRODUCTION. 

their  youth  resort,  the  risk  of  their  falling  into  scepticism,  neologism, 
the  mad  metaphysics  of  the  day,  or  pantheism,  is  infinitely  greater 
than  the  chance,  in  the  present  state  of  things,  of  their  enrolling 
themselves  under  the  comparatively  small  number  of  those  who,  in 
these  institutions,  profess  genuine  Christianity  ;  and  this  experience 
has  but  too  well  proved.  But  further — the  Jew,  though  he  may  have 
thrown  off  rabbinism,  can  no  where  have  found  or  undergone  a  disci- 
pline calculated  to  chasten  or  subdue  that  extreme  pride  which  cha- 
racterises his  race ;  and,  contemplating  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  with 
a  proud  and  inflated  heart,  if  he  views  it  as  a  Jew,  he  will  see  in  it  a 
'  stumbling-block,'  and  if  as  a  Greek,  that  is,  as  a  philosopher,  '  fool- 
ishness.' Then,  as  for  a  pure  worship,  such  as  the  so  called  reformed 
Jews  profess  to  seek  to  restore,  we  must  observe,  that  no  Israelitish 
Luther  or  Calvin  has  as  yet  arisen  to  divest  Judaism  of  the  rubbish 
which  so  miserably  encumbers  it." — p.  140. 

But  we  must  have  done  with  the  Review ;  and  I  trust  that  the 
extracts  furnished  prove  enough  that  the  scope  of  the  whole  article 
is  to  excite  hostility  towards  the  Jews,  and  that  I  have  not  said  a 
tenth  of  what  could  have  been  urged  in  contradiction  to  the  slanders 
heaped  upon  our  poor  exposed  heads  by  the  learned  critic  and  his 
hopeful  coadjutors,  such  as  unbelieving  Jews — heartless  apostates — 
and  credulous  missionaries. 


THE 


JEWS  AND  THE  MOSAIC  LAW 


PART  II. 


ESSAY  I. 


QUARTERLY  REVIEW,  NO.  75. 

Almost  every  writer  upon  the  condition  of  the  Jews  has  indulged 
himself  in  showering  plentiful  abuse  upon  their  moral  and  religious 
character,  vilifying  their  institutions,  and  denouncing  their  teachers 
and  Rabbins.  The  Jews  themselves  have  commonly  been  stigma- 
tised as  dishonest  in  their  dealings,  and  only  desirous  of  engaging  in 
small-trade  out  of  aversion  to  agriculture,  manual  labour,  and  the 
sciences.  It  is  unfortunately  true,  that  most  of  my  brethren  in 
faith  are  thus  engaged,  but  let  us  enquire  if  the  fault  be  theirs.  Let 
us  for  one  moment  recur  to  our  history  since  the  destruction  of  the 
second  temple,  and  we  shall  find  reasons  enough  to  account  for  the 
present  state  of  the  Jews.  That  part  of  our  nation  settled  in  Syria 
were  agriculturists  and  mechanics,  as  long  as  they  lived  unmolested ; 
they  were  respected  and  enlightened,  and  not  alone  made  the  Tal- 
mud their  study,  but  made  also  great  progress  in  the  other  sciences, 
particularly  astronomy,  of  which  the  Jewish  Calendar  bears  honour- 
able testimony,  which  even  the  Christians  must  confess  has  been 
very  ingeniously  constructed ;  and  several  schools,  particularly  the 
one  in  Suria,  were  long  and  justly  celebrated.  But  a  barbarous 
29 


226  ESSAY  I. 

people  now  occupies  this  fair  land,  and  the  Israelites  groan  under 
the  heavy  oppression  which  the  eastern  rulers  impose  upon  them. 

The  Jews  settled  amongst  the  Christians  were  uniformly  hated 
and  detested  ;  every  oppressor  considered  them  as  lawful  prey,  and 
both  king  and  beggar  trod  them  under  foot.  No  Jew  was  allowed 
to  enter  a  university  ;  no  Jew  could  be  member  of  a  guild,  without 
being  which  he  could  exercise  none  of  the  mechanic  arts ;  what  then 
was  left  him  but  to  turn  his  attention  to  trade  ?  Could  every  one  be 
a  wholesale  dealer  1  Surely  not.  Is  it  therefore  wonderful,  that 
by  degrees  the  greater  part  of  our  nation  became  small-traders, 
shop-keepers,  and  pedlars  1  Some  in  this  way  amassed  considerable 
fortunes,  and,  in  consequence,  turned  their  attention  to  increase  their 
wealth,  without  the  trouble  and  vexation  accompanying  the  afore- 
mentioned occupations ;  and  thus  they  became  money-changers,  and 
because  they  loaned  money  on  interest,  were  directly  called  usurers. 
The  Christian  nobility,  nay  even  kings,  became  indebted  to  them, 
and  they  acquired  in  this  manner  an  ascendancy,  which  was  other- 
wise denied  them.  I  will  not  dwell  upon  the  many  hardships  we 
had  to  endure  ;  how  many  persecutions  we  had  to  suffer,  particularly 
in  England,  France,  and  Spain ;  how  we  were  driven  from  town  to 
town,  and  from  country  to  country ;  it  was  then  that  flocks  of  Jews, 
or  "  swarms,"  as  the  Quarterly  so  elegantly  styles  them,  fled  from 
these  countries  into  Germany  and  Poland,  where,  though  oppressed, 
they  could  at  least  hope  to  obtain  a  resting  place  for  their  wearied 
limbs,  where  they  might  dwell  to  acquire  fresh  strength  to  be  able 
to  endure  new  sufferings.  It  was  then  that  the  emperor  of  Ger- 
many took  the  Jews  under  his  own  protection ;  it  was  then  that  the 
king  Casimir  of  Poland  granted  unto  the  people  of  God  those  privi- 
leges which  they  yet  enjoy  there.  But  even  in  Germany  and  Po- 
land we  were  obliged  to  suffer  much,  and  many  of  us  were  slaughtered, 
and  as  the  Hebrew  elegy  expresses  it :  "  The  blood  of  parents  was 
mingled  with  that  of  the  children ;  that  of  the  teachers  with  the 
blood  of  the  scholars ;  and  the  blood  of  the  bridegroom  with  the 
blood  of  the  bride." — We  were  considered  as  an  inferior  race,  every 
one  spit  at  us,  and  no  one  felt  pity  for  the  miserable  remnant  of  a 
great  people.  It  is  true  we  cheerfully  went  to  meet  our  death  by 
fire,  by  water,  by  the  sword  and  the  gallows,  nay  many  suffered 
themselves  to  be  buried  alive,  rather  than  forsake  their  faith.     Our 


ESSAY  I.  221 

enemies  would  compel  us  to  acknowledge  a  god  unknown  to  our  an- 
cestors ;  but  we  gave  up  our  lives,  exclaiming :  "  Hear,  O  Israel, 
the  Eternal  our  God  is  the  only  Eternal  Being,"  rather  than  by 
changing  our  belief,  live  highly  honoured  and  respected  by  the 
world,  but  despised  by  ourselves.  In  all  these  great  sufferings  the  voice 
of  the  Rabbins  was  heard  encouraging  their  flock  to  submit  cheer- 
fully to  the  decrees  of  Heaven  ;  and  they  suffered  every  thing  rather 
than  cease  admonishing  and  teaching  the  common  people.  And 
could  they  acquire  glory  by  martyrdom  ?  Had  they  any  principles 
of  their  own  to  establish  by  their  death  1 — No,  so  far  from  either 
of  these  two  usual  incentives  to  martyrdom  having  had  any  influence 
with  them,  their  individual  names  are  almost  forgotten,  except  by  a 
few  of  their  brethren  ;  besides  no  history  of  martyrs  ever  existed 
amongst  us :  where  then  was  the  glory  they  could  hope  to  ac- 
quire 1 — And  they  died  for  the  faith  of  their  ancestors — that  faith 
acknowledged  even  by  the  lowest  of  the  house  of  Israel*;  where  then 
were  the  doctrines  of  their  own,  the  Rabbins  could  expect  to  esta- 
blish ?  Who,  now,  can  say  that  aught  but  the  best  motives  prompted 
them  to  sacrifice  their  lives  1  Who  can  say  that  their  object  was 
not  solely  to  sanctify  the  holy  law,  by  the  willingness  they  showed 
to  lay  down  their  lives  when  they  were  no  longer  permitted  to  ob- 
serve its  precepts  ? — The  lives  of  the  Rabbins  have  been  uniformly 
moral  and  pious ;  and  it  may  puzzle  even  the  learned  writer  in  the 
Quarterly  Review  to  find  the  Hebrew  Rabbins  act  like  some  of  the 
many  Christian  bishops  and  pontiffs  have  done.  No  Rabbin,  I  ven- 
ture to  assert,  ever  went  forth  to  battle,  to  fight  in  the  train  of  a 
conquering  prince ;  no  Rabbin  ever  ordered  the  eyes  of  an  opponent 
to  be  put  out,  as  one  of  the  early  popes  is  said  to  have  done-  Upon 
the  whole,  the  lives  of  the  Rabbins  may,  without  danger  to  their  re- 
putation, be  compared  with  those  of  the  best  of  the  Christian  divines, 
and  I  even  dare  say,  that  in  most  cases  the  Jewish  Rabbins  will  be 
found  to  have  been  the  best  men. — It  is  not  my  object  to  throw 
odium  upon  the  teachers  of  Christianity,  far  from  it,  for  there  are 
many  good  and  valuable  men  amongst  them,  many  both  in  ancient 
and  modern  times,  who  wished  and  did  well  to  Israel ;  but  only  to 
rescue  the  memory  of  our  own  pastors  from  the  reproach  and  con- 
tempt which  the  Reviewer  and  many  kindred  spirits  would  so  gladly 
bring  them  into.     If  what  I  have  said  of  the  Rabbins  be  true  (and  I 


228  ESSAY  I. 

challenge  the  world  to  deny  it,)  all  astonishment  will  vanish,  why 
the  Jewish  theologians  exercise  such  a  powerful  influence  over  all 
their  brethren ;  why  their  opinions  are  listened  to  with  such  profound 
deference,  and  why  every  Jew  should  aim  that  his  son  should  be- 
come one  of  the  sacred  fraternity. 

Every  person,  who  dispassionately  reads  the  article  alluded  to  in 
the  Quarterly  Review,  must  be  convinced  that  the  writer  of  it  was 
actuated  by,  I  may  say,  a  deadly  hatred  to  the  Rabbins;  for 
what  other  motives  could  he  have  for  calling  the  great  Moses  Men- 
delsohn, of  blessed  memory,  an  infidel  1  Has  the  Reviewer  ever 
read  his  letters  to  Professor  Koelbele,  in  which  he  defends  himself 
against  the  charge  of  being  a  deist  ?  True,  he  left  Koelbele  in  pos- 
session of  the  field  ;  but  was  that  because  he  could  not  answer  him  1 
Certainly  not ;  it  was  what  Mr.  Mendelsohn  publicly  announced, 
that,  should  Mr.  Koelbele  think  proper  to  answer  him,  he  (Mendel- 
sohn) would  not  think  him  worthy  of  a  reply,  as  the  letter  he  was 
then  writing  must  of  necessity  be  a  sufficient  answer  to  all  the  other 
could  say.  I  only  quote  from  memory,  not  having  the  book  at  pre- 
sent ;  but  I  am  sure  that  1  have  stated  the  substance  correctly.  Let 
any  man  read  the  works  of  Mendelsohn,  and  let  him  then  pronounce 
judgment,  and  I  do  not  fear  that  he  will  find  him  guilty  of  the  foul 
charge  of  the  Quarterly  Review. — Mr.  Mendelsohn's  memory  did 
not  need  a  defence  from  so  obscure  an  individual  as  I  am  ;  but  I 
could  not  suffer  his  calumniator's  assertion  to  pass  unnoticed.  For 
Moses  Mendelsohn  has  done  more  than  any  other  individual  who 
has  lived  since  the  days  of  Maimonides  and  Yarchi,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  his  fellow-believers. — May  he  rest  in  peace,  and  may  all  be 
confounded  who  speak  evil  against  the  righteous. 

I  will  not  enter  into  a  systematic  defence  of  the  Mishna  and 
Gemara,  as  I  may  leave  them  to  defend  themselves ;  the  most  pro- 
found wisdom  is  discovered  in  these  books,  which  have  always  been 
cried  down  by  infidels  amongst  ourselves  and  Christian  writers.  But 
though  it  has  often  been  asserted  that  the  Talmud  is  a  blasphemous 
work,  I  utterly  and  boldly  deny  it.  How  often  must  it  be  said, 
how  often  shall  it  be  repeated,  that  the  Talmud  contains  allegorical 
sayings,  parables,  or  fables  if  you  please  ?  Have  not  the  Jews  and 
even  the  enlightened  and  liberal  amongst  the  Christians  often  said 
so?     And  the  Count  Stolberg  acknowledges,  that  the  Talmud  con- 


ESSAY  I.  229 

tains  some  of  the  wisest  sentiments  found  in  any  book  whatsoever ; 
and  surely  he  could  not  be  supposed  to  be  in  any  degree  biassed  in 
favour  of  our  Rabbins,  as  he  had  forsaken  the  protestant  and  joined 
the  Roman  catholic  church,  and  I  suppose  it  is  well  known,  that 
the  Romans  are  no  very  particular  friends  to  the  Jewish  doctrines ; 
nor  can  the  count  be  accused  of  any  attachment  to  them,  although 
he  was  compelled  to  make  the  above  admission  ;  and  of  this  all  his 
numerous  writings,  after  he  had  become  a  catholic,  will  bear  ample 
testimony. — But  I  leave  my  subject :  what  I  mean  to  assert  is  this, 
that  the  allegorical  sayings  of  the  Talmud  must  not  be  considered  as 
if  the  Rabbins  believed  that  such  things  had  actually  happened,  but 
only  as  fables,  which,  under  the  appearance  of  marvellous  stories, 
conceal  good  and  wholesome  truth  ;  and  they  adopted  this  allegorical 
and  hyperbolical  mode  of  conveying  their  sentiments,  as  in  many 
instances  it  might  have  been  dangerous  for  them  to  speak  plainly. 

That  the  doctrines  of  the  Rabbins  enjoin  implicit  resignation  to 
the  divine  will,  every  one  will  acknowledge  who  has  the  least  ac- 
quaintance with  them.  The  Rabbins  also  taught  the  immortality  of 
the  soul,  before  the  Christian  religion  was  yet  in  existence  ;  the  doc- 
trine of  reward  and  punishment  after  death  was  promulgated  by 
them,  as  was  also  that  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  They  did 
not,  however,  teach  these  glorious  truths  as  inventions  of  their  own  ; 
but  they  brought  arguments  from  the  law  and  the  prophets  in  sup- 
port of  their  assertions,  and  proved,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  doc- 
trines of  immortality,  reward  and  punishment  after  death,  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body,  and  the  subsequent  beatitude  of  the  righteous, 
were  taught  to  the  children  of  Israel  by  our  teacher  Moses  (of  bless- 
ed memory)  himself.  Would  any  man  then  in  his  sober  senses  call 
such  men  blasphemers  ? — men  who  taught  the  law  without  receiving 
any  emolument  for  so  doing,  and  who  literally  fulfilled  the  com- 
mandment which  God  gave  to  Joshua :  "  And  thou  shalt  meditate 
therein,  day  and  night." 

Oh,  shame  !  shame  !  that  there  should  be  found  in  England  one 
man  capable  of  harbouring  such  a  thought.  Could  the  following 
from  the  Proverbs  of  the  Fathers,  have  been  written  by  blasphe- 
mers? 

"  Rabbi  (Yehudah)  said  :  Consider  three  things  and  thou  wilt 
not  sin ;  know  that  there  are  above  thee  an  all-seeing  eye,  an  all- 


230  ESSAY  I. 

hearing  ear,  and  that  all  thy  actions  are  written  down  in  a  book," 
(namely,  that  no  action  of  man  will  be  forgotten.)  Abothe,  chap.  ii.  §  1. 

"  Akabia,  the  son  of  Mahallalel,  said  :  Consider  three  things  and 
thou  wilt  never  come  in  the  way  of  sin  ;  whence  thou  earnest,  whi- 
ther thou  art  going,  and  before  whom  thou  art  destined  to  render  an 
account  of  thyself,  and  appear  to  be  judged.  Thy  origin  was  im- 
pure ;  thou  art  going  to  a  place  where  thou  wilt  be  devoured  by 
moths  and  worms ;  and  thou  must  lastly  render  an  account  of  thy 
actions  before,  the  King  of  kings,  the  Holy  One,  to  whom  be  praise, 
by  whom  thou  wilt  be  judged."    Ibidem,  chap.  iii.  §  1. 

I  could  select  many  other  passages  from  the  Mishna  and  Gemara 
fully  as  beautiful  as  the  foregoing ;  but  I  deem  it  useless,  as  the  can- 
did mind  must  be  convinced  by  what  1  have  said  already ;  and  the 
prejudiced  man  will  not  be  convinced,  though  I  should  write  volumes. 

I  hope  that  I  have  thus  proved  that  the  Rabbins  taught  only  the 
ways  of  piety ;  and  that,  so  far  from  their  deserving  abuse,  they 
merit  praise  and  commendation  for  their  perseverance  in  perpetuat- 
ing the  doctrines  of  our  holy  faith  amidst  the  thousands  of  difficul- 
ties they  had  to  encounter,  and  the  almost  insurmountable  obstacles 
they  had  to  overcome.  When  they  found  that  all  the  avenues  of 
learning  were  closed  against  the  Jews — when  they  saw  that  their 
brethren  were  driven  to  occupations  which  were  hateful  to  them 
whilst  the  Israelites  yet  lived  in  their  own  land :  they  endeavoured 
to  perpetuate  the  knowledge  of  our  holy  law  amongst  them — and 
they  succeeded.  And  though  many  were  engaged  in  useless  disputes 
and  too  minute  researches,  particularly  in  Poland,  yet  do  we  find 
many  a  great  man,  even  during  the  times  of  persecution  and  trouble  : 
for  instance,  Abarbanel,  Orobio,  Solomon  Hanau,  Menasseh  ben 
Israel,  and  at  last  Mendelsohn,  and  a  number  of  others,  whom  1 
could  easily  enumerate,  but  I  only  choose  the  most  prominent  out  of 
the  many  who  present  themselves.  Owing  to  the  exertions  of  the 
wise  men  amongst  us,  who  were  the  instruments  in  the  hand  of  God 
to  effect  his  great  and  unsearchable  purpose,  and  to  the  natural 
firmness  and  strength  of  the  Jewish  character,  we  preserved  our  in- 
dependence of  mind  and  our  bond  of  union,  amidst  all  the  persecu- 
tions and  calamities  we  had  to  suffer  by  the  divine  dispensation. 
But  was  it  pride  which  upheld  us?  Or  was  the  finger  of  God  visible 
in  our  preservation  ?     Evidently  the  last ;  for  how  should  pride  be 


ESSAY  I.  231 

powerful  enough  to  effect  that  in  us  which  it  has  failed  to  do  in  any 
other  nation  of  antiquity  ?  Was  the  Roman  less  fierce  than  the 
Jew  1  But  what  is  the  Roman  of  the  present  day  compared  to  him 
who  checked  the  successful  Hannihal  after  the  battle  of  Cannae  1 
And  though  we  also  have  lost  our  national  independent  government, 
yet  there  is  that  within  us  which  will  make  us  reject  with  scorn  all 
the  alluring  invitations,  held  out  by  the  nations  of  the  earth  to  join 
them — although  they  live  in  palaces,  and  stride  triumphantly  over  the , 
fallen  sanctuary  of  Jerusalem,  the  residence  of  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel ;  for  we  are  upheld  by  the  promise  of  Him  who  spoke  and  the 
world  was  called  into  existence,  that  He  will  have  compassion  on  us, 
and  restore  the  remnant  of  his  people  to  the  land  which  their  fore- 
fathers inhabited.  We  have  the  promise  of  God  that  He  will  never 
forsake  us,  for  it  is  written :  "  If  the  heavens  can  be  measured  above, 
and  the  earth  beneath,  then  can  I  forsake  Israel."  And  is  it  then 
pride  alone  that  keeps  us  united  ?  Contempt  for  our  oppressors  ?  No, 
it  is  the  confidence  in  revelation,  the  certainty  that  our  day  too  will 
come. 

The  pressure  has  already  been  removed  in  part,  and  in  many 
countries  do  the  Israelites  now  dwell  in  peace,  secure,  for  the  pre- 
sent, under  the  protection  of  the  governments  in  whose  dominions 
they  live.  The  age  of  darkness  and  oppression,  I  hope,  has  passed 
away  ;  and  already  we  begin  to  show  that  we  are  capable  of  excel- 
ling in  the  arts  and  in  nobler  professions  than  small-dealing.  We 
formerly  were  only  the  most  successful  merchants ;  but  already 
there  are  in  Germany  men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  as 
philosophers,  mathematicians,  poets,  historians,  lawyers,  and  phy- 
sicians. The  Bible  has  also  been  translated  by  Jews,  natives  of  Ger- 
many and  Poland,  in  a  manner  never  before  equalled  ;  and  the  names 
of  Friedlander,  Ottensosser,  Heidenheim,  Meier  Hirsch,  Eichel, 
Frankel,  Steinheim,  and  many  others,  are  advantageously  known 
in  the  literary  circles  of  the  continent  of  Europe. — In  England, 
Hurwitz  (at  present  the  professor  of  the  Hebrew  language  in  the 
London  university)  and  Samuels  (the  biographer  of  Mendelsohn) 
have  produced  books,  which  are  read  and  admired  ;  and  though  I 
am  not  acquainted  in  France,  Italy,*  and  Holland,  I  doubt  not  but 

*  It  is  perhaps  known  to  most  of  my  readers,  that  the  celebrated  Tyrolese 
chief  Andreas  Hofer  was  made  prisoner  by  Napoleon  some  time  in  1809,  or  the 


232  ESSAY  I. 

that  the  Jews  in  these  countries  have  not  remained  behind  their 
brethren  in  Germany,  England,  and  Poland.  Though  the  Reviewer 
mentions  the  revival  of  science  among  the  Jews,  he  only  names  Pro- 
fessor Neander,  one  who  has  left  the  faith  of  his  fathers  and  em- 
braced Christianity.  Is  this  fair  dealing  ?  Are  there  no  more  men 
of  fame  amongst  the  German  Jews  than  this  apostate  ?  It  is  about 
as  fair  as  if  a  future  historian  should  mention  Benedict  Arnold  and 
William  Hull  as  the  most  distinguished  American  generals  and  pa- 
triots, or  praise  Richard  the  Third  and  James  the  Second  as  the 
best  of  English  kings.  I  only  remark  this  to  show  with  how  much 
candour  the  Reviewer  treats  us. 

Many  Jews,  particularly  the  younger  part,  have  given  up  trade  as 
their  sole  occupation,  and  turned  their  attention  (particularly  in 
Bavaria)  to  the  learned  professions  and  the  mechanic  arts.  But  in 
the  latter  they  have,  for  the  present,  many  difficulties  to  encounter, 
as  the  Christians  are  for  the  most  part  unwilling  to  take  apprentices 
or  journeymen  who  will  not  work  on  the  Sabbath  (Saturday).  Yet, 
under  all  disadvantages,  the  Jews  are  doing  tolerably  well ;  thus 
clearly  establishing  that  it  was  not  their  fault  that  they  were  engag- 
ed in  small-trade  for  so  many  centuries. 

The  Reviewer  says,  that  the  females  were  kept  in  profound  igno- 
rance, and  treated  as  an  inferior  race,  and  that,  moreover,  the  only 

commencement  of  1810.  He  was  carried  to  Mantua  in  Italy,  and  tried,  as  if 
he  had  been  a  French  subject.  He  was  very  ably  defended  by  his  counsel,  a 
young  Jew,  by  the  name  of  Basseva  (if  I  recollect  right) ;  and  this  defence 
was  so  able  that  the  biographer  of  Hofer  regretted  very  much  that  he  could  not 
succeed  in  obtaining  a  copy  of  the  speech  of  Mr.  Basseva.  I  do  not  suppose 
that  it  will  be  objected  to  the  ability  of  Mr.  B.  that  he  did  not  succeed  in  clear- 
ing his  client;  for  every  one  knows  the  clemency  of  Napoleon's  court  martials, 
and  Hofer  shared  but  the  same  fate  with  the  ill-fated  Duke  of  Enghien.  But  I 
am  not  going  to  turn  politician,  and  to  discuss  the  measures  of  Napoleon's 
government ;  I  introduced  this  subject  only  to  show  in  what  estimation 
Jewish  talent  is  held  by  the  German  writers. — It  is  probably  known  to  all  read- 
ing men,  that  whenever  one  of  our  society  commits  a  crime,  the  public  is 
informed  "  that  Jacob  Moses,  a  Jew,  broke  into  the  house  of,  &c. ;"  whereas 
our  virtues  are  passed  over  in  silence.  But  to  the  honour  of  the  biographer  of 
A.  H.  (whose  name  I  do  not  know,  as  the  book  was  anonymous)  be  it  spoken, 
he  states  explicitly  :  "  Mr.  Basseva,  a  young  Israelite,"  thus  giving  us  credit 
where  credit  was  due. 


ESSAY  I.  233 

book  they  were  permitted  to  read  filled  their  heads  with  impure 
ideas.  Since  1  have  already  shown  how  accurate  the  information  of 
the  Quarterly  Review  is,  it  will  easily  be  believed  that  this  asser- 
tion concerning  the  Hebrew  females  is  equally  true  with  that  con- 
cerning the  Jewish  Rabbins.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  untrue  that 
the  females  amongst  us  are,  generally  speaking,  worse  educated  than 
the  Christian  females.  They  are  early  taught  reading  and  writing, 
as  far  at  least  as  my  information  extends ;  many  religious  works 
written  in  Jewish  German,  for  the  most  part  expressly  for  them, 
were  formerly  read  by  them  with  the  greatest  attention ;  and,  as  far 
as  I  have  read  them  myself,  they  are  not  only  calculated  to  give 
them  instruction  in  the  ceremonial  part  of  their  religion,  but  also  to 
convey  to  them  their  moral  duties  in  a  language  at  the  same  time 
easy  and  familiar  among  them.  At  present  these  books  are  gradu- 
ally giving  way  to  others  written  in  pure  German  :  and  1  have  no 
doubt  that  in  a  few  years  these  alone  will  be  in  use  amongst  the  fe- 
male part  of  our  nation.  The  Reviewer  next  speaks  of  extracts 
from  the  Old  Testament,  which,  he  says,  they  have  commenced 
putting  in  their  hands ;  but  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  inform  him, 
that  this  would  hardly  be  necessary,  as  the  Bible,  the  entire  twenty- 
four  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  has  long  ago  been  translated  in 
German,  and  printed  chiefly  for  the  use  of  females  ;  and  we  had  in 
our  family  a  folio  Bible  of  this  kind,  printed  in  the  year  5439  of  the 
Jewish  era,  and  consequently  is  now  (5589)  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  old.  The  chastity  of  the  Jewish  females  is  well  known  ,*  and 
hardly  ever  does  any  one  hear  of  a  Jewish  lady  violating  her  mar- 
riage-vow.— The  Jewish  female  is  considered  inferior  to  the  man 
only  in  so  far  as  she  is  exempted,  by  the  nature  of  her  sex,  from 
the  greater  part  of  the  affirmative  commandments  of  our  law  ;  and 
three  commandments  are  exclusively  incumbent  upon  her,  which  it 
would  be  needless  to  mention,  as  they  are  well  known  to  all  those 
who  are  in  the  least  acquainted  with  the  Jewish  ritual.  The  fe- 
male, in  fine,  is  treated  by  the  Jews  with  respect  in  countries  where 
the  female  is  respected  by  the  other  inhabitants,  though  I  can  not 
tell  how  they  are  treated  in  the  Barbary  states,  Turkey,  and  other 
parts  of  Asia  and  Africa ;  although  1  can  freely  say,  that  it  would 
be  contrary  to  the  principles  of  the  rabbinical  Jews  to  treat  their 
wives  and  daughters  ill  under  any  circumstances  whatever  ;  which 
30 


234  ESSAY  I. 

can  be  proved  in  the  most  positive  manner  from  many  passages  in 
their  writings. 

To  what  the  Reviewer  alludes,  in  speaking  of  the  education  of 
boys,  as  tending  to  corrupt  their  morals,  1  cannot  tell ;  however,  I 
can  assert  with  the  strictest  regard  to  truth,  that  all  I  have  learned 
at  a  rabbinical  school  (and  I  went  to  no  other  until  I  was  thirteen 
years  old,)  only  tended  to  teach  me  how  to  govern  my  desires,  and 
curb  my  passions ;  and  I  may  say  that  I  know  of  no  Jewish  school 
in  which  the  strictest  moral  doctrines  are  not  daily  and  hourly  in- 
culcated, fully  as  well  as  in  any  Christian  school ;  and  I  may  be 
allowed  to  judge,  having  been  in  them  both  in  Germany  and  America. 

I  am  glad  to  see  that  the  learned  Quarterly  Reviewer  has  so  well 
studied  the  works  of  the  famous  Eisenmenger,  and  the  very  acute 
Antonio  Margarita.  For  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  not  know  it, 
I  have  to  state,  that  both  were,  as  is  generally  believed,  what  are 
commonly  called  converted  Jews ;  the  first  was  a  German,  and  died 
about  the  commencement  of  the  eighteenth  century,  or  may  be  a  lit- 
tle later ;  the  second  was,  I  suppose,  an  Italian,  but  I  have  not  the 
pleasure  of  an  acquaintance  with  him,  though  that  is  no  great  pity, 
since  the  Reviewer  is  kind  enough  to  inform  us  that  this  luminary 
lived  in  the  sixteenth  century.  It  is,  indeed,  a  pity  that  these  learn- 
ed men  no  more  exist ;  but  we  have  yet  the  consolation  to  know, 
that  they  have  so  worthy  an  imitator  as  the  London  Quarterly  Re- 
view. To  be  serious,  however,  the  charge  that  perjury  is  permit- 
ted to  the  Jews,  and  that  they  annually,  on  the  Day  of  Atonement, 
have  a  formula  in  their  prayers  absolving  them  from  the  keeping  of 
any  oaths  they  may  make  during  the  year,  is  one  on  a  par 
with  the  other  charges  already  noticed,  and  I  hope  that,  from  the 
little  knowledge  I  have  of  the  writings  of  the  Rabbins,  1  shall  be 
able  to  refute  it,  and  prove  its  falsehood. — In  the  first  place  then  let 
me  premise  what  the  Rabbins  think  of  the  Day  of  Atonement ;  this 
opinion  is  found  in  the  last  chapter  of  Yoma :  "  The  Day  of  Atone- 
ment can  only  be  an  expiation  for  sins  between  God  and  man ;  but 
for  sins  between  man  and  man  the  Day  of  Atonement  cannot  be  an 
expiation  till  the  offender  has  pacified  the  offended  :"  (that  is,  has 
made  complete  restitution  if  the  offence  was  a  fraud  or  the  like,  or 
retracted  slander,  or  made  other  atonement,  according  as  the  nature 
of  the  case  might  require).     Can  it  now  be  supposed,  that  the  Rab- 


ESSAY  I.  235 

bins,  who  taught  such  doctrines  as  the  foregoing,  should  for  the 
same  day  institute  a  prayer,  by  which  perjury  was  allowed  to  the 
Jews  ?  Can  it  be  possible,  that  any  set  of  men  can  say  that  you 
must  satisfy  your  neighbour  before  you  can  be  forgiven,  and  at  the 
same  time  permit  you  to  swear  falsely  against  him  in  a  court  of  jus- 
tice, and  thus  do  him  perhaps  the  greatest  possible  mischief?  But 
no,  the  Rabbins  never  intended  that  one  man  should  wrong  the  other, 
much  less  was  perjury  considered  by  them  as  permitted,  as  will  be 
evident  by  just  referring  to  their  writings  on  this  subject. 

The  prayer  of  "  Col  Nidre"  to  which  the  Reviewer  alludes,  is 
in  the  following  words  (as  translated  by  David  Levi) : 

"  In  the  celestial  tribunal,  and  in  the  terrestrial  tribunal :  by  the 
divine  permission  of  the  ever  blessed  God,  and  by  the  permission  of 
this  holy  congregation,  we  hold  it  lawful  to  pray  with  those  who 
have  transgressed." 

"  All  vows,  obligations,  oaths,  anathemas,  excommunications,  exe- 
crations, expiations,  and  fines,  which  we  have  vowed,  sworn,  devoted, 
excommunicated,  or  bound  ourselves  by,  from  the  past  Day  of  Atone- 
ment unto  this  present  Day  of  Atonement,  which  is  now  come  in 
peace.  Our  vows  are  no  more  vows  ;  our  oaths  cease  to  be  oaths ; 
our  anathemas  are  no  more  anathemas,  and  our  obligations  are  no 
longer  binding." 

"  They  all  shall  be  null  and  void,  without  power  or  confirmation. 
And  it  shall  be  forgiven  to  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel,  and  to 
the  stranger  who  sojourneth  among  them  ;  for  all  the  people  did  it 
ignorantly." 

In  a  note  to  the  foregoing,  the  learned  David  Levi  says : 

"  That  the  reader  may  not  be  led  to  misconstrue  this  form,  I  think  it 
necessary  to  observe  that  the  vows,  obligations,  oaths,  Ape.  here  men- 
tioned, are  such  only  as  apply  to  a  man  in  his  economical  state,  as 
mentioned  in  Numbers,  xxx.  2,  3,  4, 5,  &c.  &c;  but  have  not  the  most 
distant  relation  to  his  social  character,  and  the  transactions  between 
man  and  man.  No  :  God  forbid  !  for  all  transactions  between  man  and 
man  are  sacred,  and  cannot  be  dissolved  but  by  the  mutual  consent 
of  the  parties.  And  so  zealous  are  our  Rabbins  in  inculcating  this 
doctrine,  that  they  firmly  believe  that  there  can  be  no  hope  of  par- 
don on  the  Day  of  Atonement  for  such  as  have  injured  their  neigh- 
bours, unless  they  make  full  restitution  to  the  party  wronged,  and 


236  ESSAY  I. 

crave  his  pardon.  From  all  which  it  is  manifest,  that  we  ahhor 
the  idea  of  any  man's  freeing  himself,  by  means  of  this  form,  from 
any  oath  or  covenant  which  he  has  entered  into  with  another,  as 
some  have  ignorantly  thought,  and  thereby  brought  unmerited  re- 
proach on  the  nation." 

If  any  man  considers  the  above  formula  with  attention,  he  will 
easily  discover  that  it  relates  solely  to  the  vows,  &c.  made  without 
due  consideration,  made,  for  instance,  in  the  moment  of  excitement, 
and  perhaps  forgotten  as  soon  as  made.  Though  such  conduct  is 
abhorrent  to  the  spirit  of  our  law ;  yet  we  must  consider,  that  "  not 
to  angels  the  law  was  given  ;"  we  are  human  beings,  and  thus  liable 
to  sin,  and  in  consequence  of  the  frailty  of  our  disposition  we  fre- 
quently make  promises  and  vows,  the  execution  of  which  we  defer 
from  time  to  time,  or  it  may  be,  neglect  altogether.  For  this  reason 
did  our  Rabbins  institute  the  prayer  of  Col  Nidre,  in  which  we  pray 
the  Pardoner  of  the  iniquities  of  his  people,  to  forgive  us  for  vows, 
promises,  oaths,  dec.  which  we  have  unwittingly  made,  and  the  fulfil- 
ment of  which  we  have  forgotten,  (or  may  forget,)  either  because 
they  had  escaped  our  memory,  or  because  to  act  as  we  had  sworn 
would  have  occasioned  us  to  commit  a  sinful  action. — 1  hope  that  I 
am  understood,  as  what  I  have  advanced  is  plain  and  self-evident. 
Before,  however,  I  dismiss  this  subject  altogether,  let  me  inform  my 
readers,  that  the  foregoing  formula  is  that  used  by  the  Portuguese 
Jews  ;  but  the  German  Jews  say  instead  of  "  From  the  past  Day  of 
Atonement,  &c."  the  following  ;  "  From  the  present  Day  of  Atone- 
ment until  the  next  Day  of  Atonement,  which  may  come  to  us  inpeace." 
This  difference  between  the  Portuguese  and  the  German  Jews  only 
varies  the  form,  but  not  the  intention  of  the  prayer,  as  the  one  pray 
forgiveness  for  the  unnecessary  vows  they  have  made  during  the 
past  year,  the  others  for  those  vows  which  they  may  make  uninten- 
tionally during  the  following  year.  Had  the  Reviewer  now  only 
consulted  the  rabbinical  writings  themselves,  instead  of  Eisenmenger 
and  similar  authors  whose  interest  it  evidently  was  to  abuse  the 
religion  they  had  forsaken :  he  could  never  have  been  guilty  of  thus 
slandering  the  Jews,  and  he  would  have  acknowledged,  that  the  Col 
Nidre  has  been  introduced  amongst  the  prayers  for  the  Day  of 
Atonement  with  too  greatest  propriety,  and  that  it  must  have  a  bene- 
ficial tendency,  instead  of  the  pernicious  one  which  he  (the  Reviewer) 


ESSAY  I.  237 

and  other  Christian  writers  seem  to  dread,  I  have  noticed  this 
charge  of  the  Quarterly  Review  more  at  large,  as  the  general  belief 
of  it  might  do  us  incalculable  mischief,  and  might  easily  tend  to 
augment  the  fearful  catalogue  of  prejudices  already  existing  against 
us. 

I  should  be  very  glad  to  stop  here,  having,  I  think,  sufficiently 
cleared  our  Rabbins  and  brethren  in  general  from  the  imputations 
which  the  Quarterly  Review  has  cast  upon  their  moral  character  ; 
but  if  I  should  now  suffer  his  assertions  concerning  our  religious 
feelings  to  pass  unnoticed,  it  might  be  supposed  that  there  at  least 
the  assertions  (for  arguments  I  cannot  call  them)  of  the  Reviewer 
are  well-founded,  and  that  in  consequence  we  Jews  are  in  fact  a 
blind  flock  led  by  blind  shepherds.  I  must,  therefore,  endeavour  to 
set  him  right,  but  I  shall  say  as  little  about  Christianity  as  possible, 
since  I  do  not  wish  to  grow  abusive  in  my  turn,  and  I  beg  therefore, 
that  whatever  I  may  say  should  be  considered  as  extorted  from  me 
in  defence  of  my  faith. 

It  is  well  known  to  those  who  believe  in  a  revealed  religion,  that 
the  code  of  laws  by  which  we  Israelites  endeavour  to  direct  our 
course  of  life  has  been  handed  down  to  us  from  amidst  thunder  and 
lightning  on  mount  Sinai,  when  all  Israel  heard  the  voice  of  the 
Almighty  proclaim :  "lam  the  Eternal  thy  God,  who  have  con- 
ducted thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of  slavery." 
Moses,  the  son  of  Amram,  was  chosen  by  God  to  be  the  mediator 
who  should  teach  the  children  of  Israel  "  just  statutes  and  command- 
ments," which  should  endure  for  ever  ;  for  in  many  places  of  the 
five  books  of  Moses  do  we  find,  that  these  were  to  be  the  laws  which 
the  latest  posterity  of  Jacob  should  obey.  How  can  any  man  then 
have  the  audacity  to  style  our  religion  a  false  one,  without  at  the 
same  time  admitting  that  he  does  not  believe  in  the  sacred  truths  of 
the  Bible  ?  Shall  any  man  say  we  are  wrong,  are  infidels,  because 
we  will  not  forsake  our  religion  ? — Because  we  will  not  consent  to 
change  our  Sabbath  for  the  Sunday,  when  God  instituted  the  seventh 
day  as  a  perpetual  covenant  between  Him  and  the  children  of  Israel  ? 
— Because  we  will  not  mingle  with  the  nations  of  the  earth,  to 
marry  their  daughters,  and  eat  of  the  flesh  of  the -swine  ? — Because 
under  every  vicissitude  we  have  firmly  maintained  our  national  cha- 
racter ? — But  we  care  not  what  the  world  may  think  of  us,  as  long 


238  ESSAY  I. 

as  we  are  convinced  of  the  rectitude  and  the  permanency  of  our  re- 
ligion, which  God  has  inscribed  on  the  tablets  of  our  hearts,  and 
established  so  firmly  in  our  minds  that  all  the  powers  of  hell  are 
unable  to  remove  it ;  for  the  prophet,  in  the  name  of  God,  tells  us  : 
"  And  my  words,  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart 
out  of  thy  mouth,  the  mouth  of  thy  children,  nor  the  mouth  of  thy 
children's  children,  from  now  and  for  ever." — Whatever  o£^noral 
beauties  the  Christian  religion  may  have,  ours  is  no  less  beautiful, 
no  less  effective  in  raising  our  ideas  from  nature  to  nature's  Lord. 
To  love  Him,  to  confide  in  his  goodness  and  special  protection,  is 
commanded  to  us  in  almost  every  page  of  the  Mosaic  writings.  To 
love  our  neighbour  like  ourselves  is  no  new  doctrine  of  the  gospel, 
for  this  obligation  was  known  already  ever  since  the  promulgation 
of  the  law,  which  commands :  "  And  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
like  thyself."  Isaiah,  Daniel,  and  Ezekiel,  spoke  of  the  resurrec- 
tion and  the  life  everlasting,  and  reward  for  the  righteous,  and  pun- 
ishment for  the  wicked.  What  are  then  the  glorious  truths  which 
the  Christian  religion,  for  theirs*  time,  made  known  to  a  world 
sunk  in  darkness  ?  I  am  absolutely  unable  to  discover  which  and 
where  they  are,  and  1  should,  therefore,  be  much  indebted  to  any 
professor  of  Christianity  who  could  point  out  any  moral  doctrine 
which  was  not  long  previously  taught  by  our  prophets  and  Rabbins. 

We  do  not  believe  in  the  necessity  of  a  mediator  between  God 
and  man,  in  so  far  as  relates  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  Messiah ;  for  it 
is  a  settled  opinion  amongst  the  Jews,  that  the  Messiah  need  not 
die  in  expiation  of  their  sins,  as  a  strict  observance  of  the  divine 
law  and  a  confidence  in  God's  protection  will  lead  a  man  to  ever- 
lasting happiness,  according  to  their  belief.  But  we  find  in  the  first 
chapter  of  Job  that  Satan  is  the  accuser  of  man,  and  that  he  recapitu- 
lates the  sins  committed  on  earth  in  the  heavenly  tribunal ;  and  in 
Daniel  we  find  mention  made  of  protecting  angels,  and  of  Michael 
particularly,  as  the  protector  of  Israel.  Now  it  is  the  general  opi- 
nion of  the  Jews  that  the  protecting  angels  will  defend  man  when 
Satan  accuses.  Having  premised  this  much,  I  am  confident  that 
the  following  will  be  understood,  which  is  an  extract  from  a  prayer 
read  in  the  German  Synagogues  on  the  New-year's-days  and  the 
Day  of  Atonement : 

"  May  He,  our  Lord,  yet  remember  to  us  the  love  of  Ethan 


ESSAY  I.  239 

(Abraham),  and  for  the  sake  of  the  son  who  was  bound  upon  the 
altar,  command  our  accuser  to  be  silent ;  and  for  the  sake  of  the 
piety  of  the  righteous  (Jacob),  may  He  to-day  pronounce  favourable 
judgment  upon  us,  for  this  day  is  holy  to  our  Lord.  Though  there 
be  no  one  to  speak  in  our  favour  against  him  who  relates  our  trans- 
gressions, mayest  thou  yet  tell  to  Jacob  the  words  of  law  and  judg- 
ment, and  justify  us  when  Thou  judgest  us,  O  King  of  justice  !" 

The  meaning  of  this  is,  that  although  our  sins  be  so  great  that 
they  can  admit  of  no  justification,  we  yet  throw  ourselves  upon  the 
mercy  of  God  to  forgive  us,  though  we  be  not  worthy  of  this  great 
goodness. 

This  is  the  prayer,  as  I  suppose,  alluded  to  by  the  Quarterly  Re- 
view ;  but  how  different  a  meaning  it  has  from  that  the  Reviewer 
gives  it,  I  leave  every  person  to  judge  for  himself.  The  Jew  sees 
in  his  God  a  just  judge,  who  will  punish  all  transgressions ;  but 
whose  wrath  he  caw  deprecate  by  sincere  repentance,  and  ameliora- 
tion of  his  course  of  life.  And  our  Rabbins  teach  us  that  repent- 
ance, accompanied  by  contrition  of  heart,  is  available  on  the  death- 
bed of  the  dying  sinner,  and  that  "  many  a  man,"  as  they  say,  "  has 
bought  his  world  in  one  hour,"  meaning,  that  many  have  gained 
happiness  in  the  world  to  come  by  repentance  on  their  death-bed. 
Is  it,  then,  true,  that  to  the  Jew  the  future  is  shrouded  in  impene- 
trable gloom — that  he  has  no  means,  according  to  his  belief,  of  satis- 
fying his  Creator  1  No ;  he  has  hopes  equally  well  founded,  at  least, 
with  those  of  the  Christian;  and  he  may,  like  him,  look  upon  a  bright 
and  glorious  futurity.  Since,  however,  the  Christians  seem  to  think 
our  end  so  miserable,  I  hope  that  I  may  not  be  considered  presump- 
tuous in  describing  the  death-scene  of  my  nearest  relative,  namely, 
my  father.  He  had  been  suffering  at  intervals,  for  nineteen  years, 
the  most  excruciating  pains,  when  the  end  of  his  days  came  near. 
He  had  been  confined  to  his  bed  for  three  weeks  previous ;  and  I 
had  left  him  to  go  to  the  house  of  one  of  my  uncles,  who  did  not  live 
far  off.  About  nightfall  my  father  felt  all  at  once  his  strength  fail- 
ing fast,  and  he  therefore  sent  for  me  to  give  me  his  last  blessing 
and  his  last  injunctions,  as  it  is  customary  amongst  us.  I  cannot 
describe  my  feelings,  which  were  very  acute,  though  I  was  but  four- 
teen years  old,  when  I  approached  his  bear  He  laid  his  hands  upon 
my  head,  and  pronounced  the  blessing  with  which  the  dying  patrl- 


240  ESSAY  I. 

arch  Jacob  has  prophesied  the  Israelites  should  always  bless  their 
children,  and  the  blessings  with  which,  by  the  ordinance  of  God, 
the  family  of  Aaron  are  commanded  to  bless  the  congregation*.  (See 
Numb,  vi.)  My  father  saw  how  much  I  felt,  and  how  deeply  1  was 
affected ;  and  he  therefore  said  to  me  in  the  most  collected  and  calm 
manner:  "Weep  not  for  me;  for  my  being  longer  in  this  world 
would  be  but  painful  to  me,  and  of  no  use  to  you,  being  no  longer  able 
to  do  any  thing  for  you,  though  I  should  recover.  As  for  }%urself, 
be  an  honest  man  and  a  good  Jew,  and  God  will  never  forsake  you. 
Now  go,  my  son ;  for  your  remaining  any  longer  with  me  might  dis- 
turb me,  and  distress  you  too  much."  I  then  left  his  presence,  as 
it  is  considered  improper  amongst  us  for  the  near  relations  of  a 
dying  person  to  remain  in  his  presence,  that  his  devotion  may  not 
be  distracted  in  his  last  moments,  if  he  sees  before  him  those  who 
are  dearest  to  him  on  earth,  and  whom  he  is  so  soon  to  leave  behind 
him,  to  combat  for  an  uncertain  period  with  the  ills  and  temptations 
of  life.  Soon  after  I  was  gone,  the  members  of  the  Jewish  congre- 
gation began  to  assemble  to  pray  at  the  couch  of  their  dying  brother. 
He  prayed  with  them  as  long  as  he  was  able,  then  laid  himself  com- 
posedly down,  and  departed  this  life  without  a  struggle.  Those  who 
saw  his  death,  and  those  who  heard  of  it,  said :  "  May  my  end  be 
like  his."  Thus  die.d  my  father,  and  though  poor,  he  left  a  reputa- 
tion unsullied,  and  a  memory  respected  by  Jews  and  Christians.  I 
could  bring  other  proofs  of  the  truth  of  my  assertion,  that  the  Jews 
can  die  calmly,  and  look  with  composure  upon  futurity ;  but  enough 
has  been  said  already  to  disprove  what  the  Reviewer  has  said  on 
this  subject  also. 

I  shall  not  notice  what  other  things  the  Quarterly  Review  says 
about  the  rabbinical  Jews,  or  about  the  Caraites,  as  I  know  but 
very  little  or  nothing  concerning  the  latter ;  but  I  cannot  pass  over  in 
silence  what  he  says  in  his  concluding  paragraphs  about  the  mode  of 
treating  the  Jews  in  the  countries  where  they  are  settled.  He  says 
there  are  but  two  alternatives :  either  to  drive  them  out  altogether, 
or  to  convert  them  by  degrees  to  Christianity ;  as  he  thinks  it  unsafe 
and  unwise  to  grant  them  civil  liberty  as  long  as  they  remain  Jews. 
He  does  not  seem  to  be  inclined  to  drive  us  altogether  out  of  Europe, 
as  that  would,  by  the  way,  be  hardly  possible  at  the  present  day ; 
since,  in  consequence  of  most  of  the  governments  being  largely  indebt- 


ESSAY  I.  241 

ed  to  the  Jews,  they  would  be  obliged  either  to  pay  them  immedi- 
ately what  they  owe  them  in  money,  which  they  cannot  do,  or  not 
to  pay*  them  at  all,  or  to  kill  them,  which  they  will  hardly  dare  to 
do.  But  'he  believes- that  it  ought  to  be  tried  to  convert  them  by 
gentle  means — to  educate  them  so,  that  the  affection  they  feel  for 
their  ancient  religion  and  customs  might  be  weakened,  with  a  view 
to  induce  them  to  embrace  Christianity.  But  to  do  this,  the  ame- 
liorating societies  must  obtain  the  consent  of  the  parents  to  educate 
the  children  in  the  manner  proposed  ;  for  /  do  not  believe  that  any 
man  would  advise  to  inveigle  the  children  away  from  their  parents — 
or  to  steal  them — or  to  compel  them — or  to  seduce  them  clandes- 
tinely to  enter  a  missionary-school,  although  these  methods  have 
been  partly  resorted  to.  No  honourable  man  can  dream  of  propos- 
ing such  diabolical  plans,  and  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  parents 
themselves  to  make  their  children  apostates  is  impracticable,  as 
long  as  the  adults  are  Jews.  The  only  chance,  therefore,  for  bring- 
ing about  the  conversion  of  the  Jews,  is  to  draw  the  adults  within 
the  pale  of  the  church.  1  cannot,  however,  conceive  how  the  Re- 
viewer means  to  effect  this ;  for  compulsion  he  himself  will  not  lis- 
ten to ;  persuasion  will  not  do  ;  abuse  will  not  convert  us,  as  the 
Q.  R.  may  have  experienced  himself;  to  reason  us  out  of  our  opin- 
ions has  been  tried  with  little  success,  as  all  the  arguments  brought 
against  us  have  been  again  and  again  overthrown.  What  then  re- 
mains to  be  done  1  To  bribe  us  /  /  This  seems  to  have  been  the 
darling  plan  of  ameliorating  societies  and  piously  inclined  governments 
of  late  years.  This  is  to  be  done  in  two  different  ways,  either  to  pay 
a  bounty  for  apostacy,  say  two  thousand  dollars  a  head,  or  to  give 
offices  to  such  men  of  talents  as  choose  to  become  (outwardly)  Christ- 
ians. The  first  plan  has  been  tried  without  success;  the  American*  and 


*  As  the  reader  may  perhaps  have  some  curiosity  to  know  the  names  of 
some  of  those  worthies  who  attempted  to  save  our  souls  from  perdition,  by  an 
appeal  to  our  pockets,  I  have  thought  proper  to  transcribe  a  few  from  a  long 
list  of  presidents,  managers,  &c.,  which  I  lately  saw  (since  the  publication  of 
this  essay)  in  a  little  work  called  "  Israel  Vindicated,"  printed  in  New  York, 
in  1820.  This  little  book  is  a  series  of  letters,  supposed  to  be  addressed  by  a 
resident  in  New  York  to  his  friend  in  Philadelphia,  and  contains,  among  other 
things,  some  account  of  the  American  Society  for  Ameliorating  the  Condition 
of  the  Jews. — In  letter  second  the  writer  says,  that  M  although  from  the  arti- 
31 


242  ESSAY  I. 

London  Societies  A.  C.  J.  have  spent  immense  sums  of  money,  and 
obtained  a  few  vagabondish  fellows  and  some  few  designing  men  as 
recruits  ;  but  as  we  have  heard  so  little  lately  about  the  proceedings 
of  these  societies,  we  are  forced  to  believe  that  they  have  either 
contracted  their  sphere  of  operations,  and  work  more  in  silence  than 
they  used  to  do, — or  that  they  have  even  dissolved  and  adjourned 
their  meetings  "sine  die,''''  for  want  of  encouragement  from  the 
Jews. — To  bribe  through  means  of  office  has  also  been  tried;  and  I 
am  glad  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  inform  the  Reviewer,  that  it  has 
succeeded  hardly  any  better  than  direct  bribery.  A  little  while 
before  I  left  Germany  (1824)  I  was  told,  that  a  young  gentleman, 
after  he  had  finished  his  studies,  applied  to  the  Prussian  govern- 
ment for  employment.  He  was  answered,  that  if  he  would  turn 
Christian  he  might  be  appointed  to  the  office  he  solicited  ;  to  which 
he  is  said  to  have  indignantly  replied :  "  I  have  learned  enough  to 
be  able  to  teach  boys,  and  I  need  not  your  offices,  if  I  must  forsake 
my  faith  to  obtain  them." — And  so  it  has  always  been.  Though 
Maria  Theresa  and  other  European  sovereigns  tried,  by  the  most 
alluring  offers,  to  gain  the  Jews  over,  they  have  never  been  able  to 
succeed  even  partially.  This  is  no  idle  declamation,  but  positive 
fact,  as  all  those  must  know  who  are  in  any  degree  acquainted  with 
the  internal  history  of  Germany.  The  governments  of  Europe, 
therefore,  having  tried  the  plan  which  the  Quarterly  Review  recom- 

cles  of  their  constitution  it  appears,  that  they  propose  to  establish  '  a  settle- 
ment' for,  and  to  give  '  employment'  to  such  of  our  nation  as  may  apply  for 
it,  yet  is  it  laid  down  as  a  proviso,  that  none  shall  be  invited  and  received  but 
such  Jews  as  do  already  profess  the  Christian  religion,  or  are  desirous  to  receive 
Christian  instruction."— The  writer  next  gives  a  long  list  of  officers— -fifty-three 
in  all ;  but  I  must  content  myself  with  naming  the  following :  "  Hon.  Elias 
Ecudinot,  President ;  Hon.  John  Q.  Adams ;  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Day,  Pres.  Yale  Col- 
lege ;  His  Ex.  William  Findlay  ;  Rev.  Dr.  A.  Green,  Pres.  Princeton  College  ; 
Herman  Le  Roy,  Esq. ;  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H.  Livingston,  S.  T.  P. ;  Rev.  Dr.  Philip 
Millcdoler  ;  Rev.  Dr.  James  Milnor ;  Hon.  William  Phillips ;  Col.  John  Troup ; 
Gen.  Stephen  Van  Rensellaer ;  James  Wadsworth,  Esq.,  Vice  Presidents ;  Hon. 
Peter  A.  Jay,  Treasurer,  &c." — I  do  not  accuse  these  honourable  and  reverend 
gentlemen  of  any  other  evil  intention  than  officiousness,  since  not  one  of  us 
Jews  ever  desired  them  to  ameliorate  our  condition;  which  we  do  not  think  as  yet 
desperate  enough  to  require  the  interference  of  the  honourables  and  reverends 
just  enumerated. 


ESSAY  I.  243 

mends,  and  deeming  it  impolitic  to  oppress  us  any  longer,  knowing 
at  the  same  time,  that,  if  emancipated  and  left  to  ourselves,  we  are 
able  and  willing  to  render  the  state  some  service,  have  in  many 
instances  commenced  putting  us  on  a  level  with  the  Christian  popu- 
lation, and  this  has  been  already  effected  in  Holland,  Bavaria,  Saxen- 
Weimar,  and  some  of  the  other  German  states;  not  to  mention  the 
republic  of  the  United  States,  where  we  enjoy  equal  rights  and  privi- 
leges^ithout  any  injury  to  the  Christians. 

I  have  lately  received  a  letter  from  an  old  and  intelligent  gentle- 
man in  Germany,  which  states,  that  King  Lewis  of  Bavaria  gave 
not  long  since  20,000  firs.,  equal  to  8,000  dollars,  towards  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Jewish  seminary  of  learning ;  and  that  about  two  years 
ago  a  college  was  established  in  Munster,  the  capital  of  the  Prussian 
province  of  Westphalia,  for  the  education  of  young  schoolmasters 
and  mechanics  among  the  Israelites.  In  this  institution  are  taught 
the  Hebrew,  German,  Latin,  and  French  languages ;  the  Bible  with 
commentaries,  the  Talmud,  mathematics,  history,  natural  history, 
logic,  geography,  &c,  besides  the  ornamental  branches,  as  sing- 
ing, music,  and  painting.  This  school  is  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
though  so  short  a  time  only  has  elapsed  since  its  establishment ;  and 
the  teachers  are  both  of  the  Jewish  and  Christian  persuasions,  thus 
proving  that  we  can  live  in  peace  with  Christians,  without  amalga- 
mating with  them.  The  school  is  patronised  by  the  Prussian  go- 
vernment, which  has  lately  shown  itself  very  desirous  of  advancing 
education  amongst  us,  without  tacking  any  degrading  conditions  to 
its  benevolence.  What  is  most  remarkable  with  the  above  college, 
is,  that  it  is  established  in  a  town  where,  no  more  than  twenty  years 
ago,  no  Jew  was  allowed  to  locate  himself  permanently  ;  and  before  its 
establishment  the  Jewish  young  men  were  permitted  to  study  in  the 
gymnasium  of  that  place,  where  they  were  just  as  much  honoured 
as  any  of  the  Christian  students,  of  which  fact  I  can  speak  with  the 
utmost  confidence,  having  been  myself  a  scholar  there  for  two  years 
and  a  quarter. — In  short,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  our  enemies  we 
have  continued  to  flourish  and  to  acquire  greater  respectability  for 
the  last  thirty  years,  and  we  shall  continue  to  advance  as  long  as 
we  deserve  the  blessing  of  Heaven  ! 

I  could  add  a  great  deal  more,  but  I  am  afraid  that  I  have  said  too 
much  already ;  but  I  beg  every  one  who  reads  the  foregoing,  to 


244  ESSAY  II. 

pardon  my  loquacity,  since  I  hardly  could  say  less  against  the  many 
allegations  of  the  Review  than  I  have  done,  without  being  obscure 
or  altogether  unintelligible.  I  dare  not  even  hope  that  I  have  suc- 
ceeded in  convincing  the  Christians  of  the  truth  of  what  I  have  said  ; 
for  it  would  certainly  be  very  strange  if  a  young  man,  who,  more- 
over, had  not  the  best  opportunities  of  acquiring  knowledge,  should 
be  able  to  overthrow  a  writer  in  the  London  Quarterly  Review,  who, 
for  aught  1  know,  may  be  a  professor  in  the  Oxford  university. — 
But  if  I  have  succeeded  in  allaying  a  little  of  the  prejudice  existing 
against  us,  it  will  be  ample  compensation  for 

A  Native  of  Germany. 
Richmond j  Va.,  January  6th. 


ESSAY  II. 


I  have  read  with  much  interest  the  manly  and  temperate  remarks 
of  a  "  Native  of  Germany,"  published  in  the  Whig,  in  vindication 
of  the  Jews  from  the  calumnies  of  the  Quarterly  Review.  So  far 
from  feeling  any  desire  to  perpetuate  the  prejudice  which  has  so 
long  existed  against  that  unfortunate  people,  I  would  on  the  contrary 
do  all  in  my  power  to  remove  it ;  for  I  entertain  no  doubt  that  many 
of  them  are  as  exemplary  in  their  moral  habits,  as  good  citizens  and 
as  kind  neighbours ;  and  therefore  equally  entitled  to  the  favour  of 
God  as  those  who  profess  to  be  Christians.  Neither  am  I  disposed 
to  find  the  least  fault  with  them  for  continuing  in  the  belief  and 
practice  of  that  religion  which  was  delivered  in  fire  and  tempest  on 
mount  Sinai,  so  long  as  they  believe  their  present  happiness  and 
everlasting  salvation  to  depend  upon  it.  I  conceive  it  would  be  de- 
priving God  of  the  essential  attributes  of  mercy  and  justice,  by  ren- 
dering Him  incapable  of  saving  his  rational  offspring  from  perdition, 
whether  they  be  Jew  or  gentile,  heathen  or  Christian.  They  are  all 
equally  the  objects  of  his  love,  whatever  may  be  their  faith  or  condi- 


ESSAY  II.  245 

tion  in  life  ;  even  though  the  force  of  external  circumstances  brought 
about  by  the  pride  and  injustice  of  man,  may  seem  to  render  Him 
partial  in  the  distribution  of  his  favours.  It  is  declared,  on  what 
Christians  believe  unquestionable  authority,  that  God  is  no  respecter 
of  persons,  but  in  every  nation  those  who  fear  him  and  work  right- 
eousness shall  be  accepted  of  Him.  It  is  in  the  contrite  heart  that 
He  manifests  himself,  amongst  every  people  and  every  colour  ;  and 
not  toJany  privileged  few,  who  claim  to  be  the  favourites  of  Heaven. 
It  has  always  been  the  custom  of  particular  sects  and  particular  na- 
tions, to  appropriate  to  themselves  the  especial  grace  of  God.  But, 
according  to  this  assumption,  all  those  who  believe  differently  are 
in  danger  of  the  divine  displeasure.  How  partial,  how  unjust,  is 
such  a  belief  calculated  to  render  a  Being  who  is  emphatically  pro- 
nounced to  be  Love ! 

It  cannot  be  expected,  under  the  present  condition  of  the  human 
mind,  that  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  will  ever  arrive  at  that  state 
in  which  there  will  be  a  uniformity  of  belief  in  what  all  may  deem 
essential.  The  same  causes  which  actuate  them  to  think  differently 
now,  will  continue  to  produce  the  same  effect,  until  mankind  shall 
be  released  from  the  fetters  of  prejudice  ;  and  from  the  influence  of 
education,  example,  and  authority.  But  amidst  the  endless  variety 
of  nations  that  people  the  earth,  I  have  never  heard  of  any  that  did 
not  acknowledge  the  existence  of  certain  obligations  to  a  superior 
Being,  and  have  recourse  to  some  plan  to  testify  their  duty  and  alle- 
giance. Whence  could  such  impressions  have  been  derived  but 
from  the  fountains  of  truth,  how  much  soever  they  may  have 
been  subsequently  obscured  by  the  inventions  of  men  1  The  scrip- 
tural writers  abundantly  declare  that  God  has  written  his  law  upon 
the  hearts  of  all  men  ;  and  by  consulting  that  law,  that  still  small 
voice  which  saith  to  us,  "  this  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,"  we  have 
every  assurance  of  pleasing  Him  whom  we  serve. 

So  far,  therefore,  from  excluding  the  Jews,  and  I  may  add,  every 
other  nation,  from  the  benefits  of  salvation,  I  am  free  to  acknowledge 
them  equally  the  heirs  of  a  glorious  immortality  with  the  Christians  ; 
and  equally  acceptable  in  the  eyes  of  a  just  and  merciful  God,  in  so 
far  as  they  respectively  strive  to  perform  his  will.  To  every  man 
is  given  a  certain  duty  to  discharge,  a  certain  talent  to  improve  ; 
and  it  is  doubtless  the  same  with  nations :  and  as  all  are  faithful  and 


246  ESSAY  II. 

obedient  in  the  performance  of  this  duty,  would  it  not  be  derogatory 
to  the  divine  goodness  to  presume  that  they  will  be  debarred  from 
the  enjoyments  of  a  future  state  1  In  accordance  with  this  view  of 
the  subject,  I  think  a  greater  responsibility  rests  upon  Christendom 
than  any  other  division  of  mankind,  in  proportion  to  the  superiority 
of  that  system  of  morality  which  they  profess  to  venerate  :  and  this 
brings  me  to  notice  (which,  indeed,  was  a  principal  object  in  taking 
up  my  pen)  some  remarks  which  "  A  Native  of  Germany"  has  used 
in  reference  to  the  duties  imposed  by  the  Jewish  and  Christian  laws. 
He  says,  if  I  understand  him,  that  no  glorious  truth,  no  moral  doc- 
trine, is  brought  to  light  by  the  gospel,  which  was  not  equally  incul- 
cated by  the  Old  Testament  or  the  Talmud.  The  moral  duties 
taught  by  the  gospel,  according  to  the  light  in  which  I  view  them, 
are  of  a  far  higher  order,  and  of  more  universal  application,  than 
those  enjoined  by  the  Mosaic  law.  It  is  true  that  one  of  the  com- 
mands of  the  latter  is  :  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  like  thyself;" 
but  viewed  in  connection  with  other  parts  of  that  law,  the  meaning 
of  the  term  neighbour  is  by  no  means  so  comprehensive  as  it  is  un- 
der the  Christian  dispensation.  It  only  extended  to  those  of  their 
own  tribe  or  nation  under  the  Mosaic  system ;  whereas  under  the 
gospel,  it  is  made  to  embrace  all  who  may  be  placed  in  a  situation 
calculated  to  excite  our  sympathy  and  demand  our  assistance.  See 
the  parable  of  the  Samaritan.  That  the  Jewish  precept  did  not  ex- 
tend to  other  nations  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  the  Jews  were 
commanded,  or  believed  they  were  commanded,  to  wage  war  against 
the  neighbouring  countries,  to  slay  their  inhabitants  and  dispossess  them 
of  their  inheritances.  This  is  so  common  a  feature  in  the  Jewish  his- 
tory, that  it  is  unnecessary  to  specify  any  particular  passages.  But 
what  was  the  command  of  the  blessed  Author  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion ?  "  Ye  have  heard  it  hath  been  said,  an  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a 
tooth  for  a  tooth  ;  but  I  say  unto  you,  resist  not  evil."  "  Ye  have 
heard  it  said,  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  and  hate  thine  enemy  ; 
but  I  say  unto  you,  love  them  that  hate  you,  bless  them  that  curse 
you,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you." 
And  the  most  conclusive  reason  is  given  to  sustain  the  force  of  this 
divine  injunction  ;  namely,  that  our  heavenly  Father  makes  his  sun 
to  shine,  and  his  rain  to  descend,  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust.  Is  there 
not  far  more  sublimity  in  these  high  commands  of  universal  applica- 


ESSAY  II.  247 

tion,  than  in  the  Mosaic  precept  of  so  limited  operation?  Again: 
"  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  so 
unto  them."  These  exalted  precepts  were  intended  to  be  our  rule 
of  action  in  our  intercourse  with  all  men ;  the  polar  star  by  which 
to  regulate  our  course  whilst  travelling  the  journey  of  life.  I  am 
here  speaking  of  genuine  Christianity,  such  as  we  sometimes  see 
exemplified  in  the  world  ;  not  of  that  mongrel  and  monstrous  species 
whicff  too  often  usurps  its  place.  And  it  is  with  sorrow  that  I  am 
here  compelled  to  ask  "  A  Native  of  Germany"  to  extend  that  fa- 
vour to  us  which  he  solicits  for  the  Jews  ;  and  not  to  judge  all  of 
us  and  our  religion  by  the  practices  of  some.  I  confess  there  is, 
too  generally  speaking,  such  a  lamentable  diversity  between  our 
profession  and  practice,  that  they  are  the  direct  antipodes  to  each 
other. 

Let  it  not  be  said  that  these  heavenly  injunctions  cannot  be  ful- 
filled. Surely  they  never  would  have  been  promulgated,  on  what 
Christians  must  deem  such  high  authority,  if  they  had  been  beyond 
our  attainment.  It  has  often  been  urged  that  if  any  nation  were  to 
comply  literally  with  the  commandment,  to  love  our  enemies,  and  on 
no  occasion  to  resist  them  by  force,  it  would  soon  be  overrun  and 
plundered  by  warlike  and  avaricious  neighbours.  But,  fortunately, 
there  is  a  living  fact  to  the  contrary  ;  a  fact  which  merits  one  of  the 
brightest  pages  of  history.  I  allude  to  the  settlement  of  Pennsylva- 
nia by  the  illustrious  Penn,  whose  colony  flourished  amidst  tribes  of 
fierce  barbarians,  while  other  settlements  on  this  continent,  support- 
ed by  the  force  of  arms,  were  with  difficulty  effected.  Here  is  a 
splendid  illustration  of  the  effect  produced  by  the  practice  of  the 
Christian  virtues,  against  which  there  never  was  any  legal  enact- 
ment by  any  people  :  and  I  am  informed  that  to  this  day  the  Indians 
cherish  a  lasting  friendship  for  that  society  of  which  Penn  was  the 
ornament  and  the  founder.  In  like  manner,  if  we  were  to  do  as  we 
would  be  done  by,  what  changes  would  it  produce  in  the  world !  No 
longer  would  be  exhibited  the  singular  anomaly  which  our  country 
presents,  of  being  the  freest  nation  on  the  globe,  and  of  holding  at 
the  same  time,  in  corporeal  and  mental  subjection,  a  million  and  a 
half  of  our  fellow-beings.  Such  a  state  of  things  could  not  exist. 
But  yet  we  are  a  people  making  the  most  exalted  profession  of  right- 
eousness, holding  in  pious  contempt  the'-Jew  and  the  heathen,  and 


248  ESSAY  III. 

handing  them  over  to  reprobation  without  the  least  mercy  or  re- 
morse. Is  not,  then,  the  language  of  inspiration  as  applicable  now 
as  it  was  when  it  was  uttered  1  "  This  people  draweth  nigh  unto 
me  with  their  lips,  and  honoureth  me  with  their  mouth,  but  their 
heart  is  far  from  me." 

A  Professor  of  Christianity.* 


ESSAY  III. 


TO    "  A  PROFESSOR  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

You  will  easily  believe  me,  that  I  received  much  real  satisfaction 
from  reading  your  reply  to  that  part  of  my  "  remarks"  in  which  I 
asserted,  that  not  one  single  moral  doctrine  was  for  the  first  time 
taught  in  the  gospels ;  as  you  have  so  well  preserved  that  gentle 

*  The  writer  of  this  and  the  fourth  essay  is  a  member  of  the  "  Society  of 
Friends,"  who  resides  about  twenty -five  miles  from  Richmond.  It  happened, 
strange  enough,  that  a  note  to  which  my  name  had  been  signed  was  inserted, 
much  to  my  chagrin,  along  with  the  first  essay,  which,  as  the  reader  will  see, 
was  intended  to  remain  anonymous ;  but  my  name  having  once  been  made  pub- 
lic as  the  writer  of  these  unpretending  essays,  I  became  indebted  to  this  circum- 
stance for  the  pleasure  of  a  correspondence,  which  was  carried  on  for  some 
months,  with  the  Professor  of  Christianity,  as  he  wrote  to  me  a  few  days  after 
the  publication  of  his  last  essay,  disclosing  to  me  his  name  and  profession.  I 
have  endeavoured  to  prevail  upon  him  to  give  me  permission  to  make  his  name 
public  ;  but  in  vain,  as  his  modesty  will  not  permit  him  to  appear  publicly  as  an 
author.  I  regret  this  determination,  but  since  it  seemed  to  be  particularly  disa- 
greeable to  him  to  be  known,  I  would  consider  myself  guilty  of  a  breach  of 
confidence  were  I  to  disobey  his  injunction. — All  that  I  have  heard  of  him  has 
impressed  me  with  the  belief  that  he  is  a  man  of  a  finely  cultivated  mind,  and, 
what  is  more,  one  whose  principles  are  followed  up  in  his  conduct ;  I,  therefore, 
am  happy  to  repeat  the  favourable  opinion  I  had  conceived  of  him  from  reading 
his  reply  to  my  first  communication,  and  which  I  accordingly  expressed  in  the 
following  essay.  It  has  been  my  fortune  but  once  to  meet  with  him ;  but 
he  may  be  assured  that  I  shall  ever  be  ready  to  redeem  the  pledge  I  made 
when  he  was  yet  unknown  to  me,  and  always  be  prepared  to  extend  to  him 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  though  we  differ  in  opinion.  I.  L. 


KSS  AY    III.  J].) 

spirit  of  forbearance,  which  should  characterise  generous  opponents, 
who  are  both  aiming  for  the  attainment  of  truth.  If  your  conduct 
in  life  corresponds  with  your  sentiments  as  avowed  in  your  reply, 
(of  which,  however,  I  have  no  doubt,)  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  hail 
you  as  a  friend,  and  extend  to  you  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
though  Ave  differ  in  our  religions  opinions. — You  shall,  therefore, 
receive  that  courtesy  from  me  which  you  have  displayed  ;  and  1  beg 
of  you  to  consider  none  of  my  strictures  as  personal;  for  although 
you  are  altogether  unknown  to  me,  since  I  never  have  heard  your 
name  even,  I  yet  feel  a  high  regard  for  a  man  so  generous  and  mild. 
These  being  my  sentiments,  you  may  ask,  why  I  should  reply  to  you 
then  ?  But  please  to  consider,  that  thinking  you  had  erred,  1  deem 
it  necessary  to  remove  the  impression  which  you  may  have  left 
upon  the  minds  of  the  public  concerning  our  religion,  which  is  the 
more  expedient  at  the  present  moment,  as  I  understand  that  the  sub- 
ject under  consideration  has  lately  excited  deep  and  universal  interest 
throughout  this  city  among  the  thinking  and  intelligent  citizens. 

In  the  first  place  then,  you  do  us  no  more  than  justice  to  believe, 
that  we  can  be  good  citizens  and  kind  neighbours,  no  less  so  than 
the  followers  of  the  gospel,  for  this  has  been  proved  by  the  expe- 
rience of  ages ;  and  I  can  assert,  without  the  least  fear  of  contradic- 
tion, that,  wherever  the  Jew  was  kindly  treated,  whenever  he 
received  any  benefit  from  a  gentile,  he  was  always  ready  to  acknow- 
ledge the  kindness  of  his  benefactor ;  as  ingratitude  towards  man  is 
not  a  trait  in  our  character,  though  we  have  frequently  acted  un- 
gratefully towards  the  Deity,  for  which  we  even  now  suffer  our  pun- 
ishment, in  the  dismemberment  of  our  nation,  and  the  loss  of  our 
land.  But  notwithstanding  we  have  been  gradually  dispersed  over 
the  whole  face  of  the  earth  after  our  expulsion  from  Palestine,  we 
are  nevertheless,  emphatically  speaking,  Israelites,  the  same  now, 
which  we  ever  were ;  we  possess  the  same  laws,  the  same  customs, 
nay,  retain  the  same  features  even,  which  we  had  in  our  own  land, 
and  through  all  the  revolutions  and  changes  of  time  we  have  pre- 
served our  national  identity.  All  the  celebrated  nations  of  antiquity 
have,  I  may  say,  mouldered  away,  for  there  was  no  living  principle 
in  their  constitutions ;  and  in  vain  does  the  astonished  traveller  look 
for  the  people  which  built  the  Egyptian  pyramids  and  temples ; 
Greece  and  its  ruins  remind  us  that  a  wise  and  powerful  nation  once 
32 


250  ESSAY  III. 

existed  there ;  and  Italy  presents  to  the  searching  eye  of  the  anti- 
quary only  the  remains  of  a  nation  which  once  dictated  laws  to  the 
whole  civilised  world.  But  though  Palestine  is  no  longer  the  land 
possessed  by  the  people  of  God,  yet  can  the  true  representatives  of 
its  ancient  possessors  be  met  with  in  every  country,  who  are  essen- 
tially one  people,  though  scattered  throughout  all  the  countries  of 
the  earth ;  and  their  preservation  as  one  nation  is  owing  to  the  liv- 
ing principle  of  their  constitution,  a  constitution  given  them  as  a 
special  gift  from  their  Maker. — All  nations  have  ever  admired  this 
close  bond  of  union  existing  amongst  us,  and  the  unanimity  with 
which  we  have  always,  under  every  vicissitude,  resisted  any  inter- 
ference with  our  moral  and  religious  duties  ;  for  on  no  account  did 
we,  or  can  we,  suffer  any  stranger  to  advise  us  in  any  matter  of  con- 
science, if  we  deem  his  advice  contrary  to  the  standard  of  the  Mo- 
saic law. 

For  this  our  constancy  we  have  been  abundantly  vilified,  have 
been  called  obdurate  Jews  who  wilfully  resist  the  light  of  the  gos- 
pel; and  we  have  even  been  considered  as  inimical  to  the  Christians, 
because  we  would  not,  could  not,  embrace  Christianity. — 1  must 
confess,  we  are  determined  never  to  change  our  faith,  and  of  course 
we  must  be  considered  by  Christians  enemies  of  their  belief;  but 
though  I  admit  this,  I  utterly  deny  that  we  do  think  ourselves  per- 
mitted by  our  religion  to  hate  the  Christians  themselves ;  on  the 
contrary,  we  believe  ourselves  bound  to  live  in  good  fellowship  with 
all  men,  no  matter  what  their  belief  may  be. 

You  seem  to  think,  my  dear  friend,  that  the  gospel  has  the  supe- 
riority over  the  Mosaic  law,  in  so  far  as  the  former  commands  uni- 
versal love,  while  the  latter  prescribes  love  for  the  children  of  Israel 
alone.  But  is  your  position  correct  ?  Or  is  what  you  say  true,  that 
the  Jews  so  understood  the  commandment :  "  And  thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  like  thyself?"  You  say,  the  Jews  must  have  inter- 
preted the  law  so,  as  they  had  frequent  wars  with  the  surrounding 
nations,  and  they  thought  themselves  obliged  to  slay  the  inhabitants 
and  to  plunder  their  property. — But  pardon  me,  my  friend,  you  have 
misunderstood  the  Jewish  law,  or  you  have  forgotten  the  precepts 
of  the  Old  Testament.  The  law  relative  to  war  is  found  in  Deut. 
chap.  xx.  v.  10 — 19  inclusive,  and  is  in  the  following  words : 

"  If  thou  comest  nigh  unto  a  city  to  make  war  against  it,  thou 


ESSAY  III.  251 

shalt  proclaim  peace  unto  it.  And  it  shall  happen,  if  it  answer  thee 
peace,  and  open  unto  thee,  then  all  the  people  found  therein  shall  be 
tributaries  unto  thee  and  serve  thee.  But  if  it  will  not  make  peace 
with  thee,  but  will  wage  war  against  thee,  then  thou  shalt  be- 
siege it ;  and  when  the  Eternal  thy  God  has  delivered  it  into  thy 
hands,  thou  mayest  smite  every  male  thereof  with  the  edge  of  the 
sword ;  but  the  women,  and  children,  and  the  cattle,  and  all  that  is 
in  the  city,  namely,  all  the  spoil  thereof,  thou  shalt  take  unto  thy- 
self, and  eat  the  spoil  of  thine  enemies,  which  the  Eternal  thy  God 
has  given  thee,  &c.  &c." 

I  am  well  aware  that  my  translation  differs  from  the  English  ver- 
sion, as  the  English  Bible  says :  "  Thou  shalt  smite,  &c."  which  I 
have  rendered  "  mayest  ,•"  but  I  have  preferred  to  adopt  the  inter- 
pretation of  some  of  the  Rabbins ;  and  the  passage  thus  rendered 
gives  only  a  permission  to  slay  the  garrison,  those  capable  of  bear- 
ing arms,  but  forbids,  on  any  account,  to  injure  the  women  and 
children,  who  cannot  participate  in  the  war,  from  the  nature  of  their 
weakness  and  dependence.  I  do  not  believe  that  any  man  can  make 
any  objection  to  the  interpretation  I  have  just  given;  and  every 
one  I  trust  will  then  acknowledge,  that  so  far  from  our  law  allowing 
the  massacre  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  countries  at  war  with  the  Jews, 
it  tended  greatly  to  soften  the  rigours  of  war,  as  carried  on  in  an- 
cient times,  since  it  prohibited  the  molestation  of  the  women  and  chil- 
dren, when  even  in  Christian  countries  the  former  are  not  always 
exempt  from  violence  ;  and  surely  I  need  not  bring  examples  from 
history  to  prove  this,  as,  alas  !  examples  are  too  often  met  with,  and 
many  scenes  of  violence  have  been  enacted  by  warriors  calling  them- 
selves Christians,  which  present  instances  of  atrocity  too  horrible 
to  be  related. 

A  second  enquiry  presents  itself:  "  Did  the  Jews  think  themselves 
bound  to  go  to  war  with  their  neighbours,  or  was  it  only  in  cases  of 
necessity  that  they  were  embroiled  with  other  nations  ?"  Without 
hesitation  I  answer:  That  war  was  considered  among$t  us  as  the 
greatest  evil,  and  was  only  resorted  to  to  repel  invasion,  and  to 
secure  the  peace  of  our  boundaries.  (For  proof  read  the  books  of 
Samuel  and  Kings.)  "  But  was  not  David  a  conqueror  ?"  True 
he  was ;  but  was  he  the  aggressor  1  or  rather,  was  he  not  forced  to 
war  by  the  Philistines,  Edumeans,  Syrians,  and  other  nations  1  Did 


252  ESSAY  III. 

they  not  invade  his  country,  and  insult  the  ambassadors  whom  he 
had  sent  with  a  letter  of  condolence  to  the  king  of  the  children  of 
Ammon?  Was  he  to  stand  by  and  see  Israel  slaughtered,  whom 
he  was  appointed  to  govern  like  the  shepherd  governs  his  flock  ? 
Was  he  permitted,  I  ask  you,  to  see  the  wolves  come  amongst  the 
flock  and  bear  some  of  the  unoffending  sheep  away?  Was  he,  again, 
permitted  to  see  the  ambassadors  of  the  people  of  God  ill-treated  by 
a  barbarian  king  and  his  barbarian  people  1 — And,  to  conclude  my 
queries,  did  not  the  almighty  Protector  of  Israel  sanction  those  enter- 
prises by  giving  David  success  in  all  his  undertakings  1  Can  any 
human  being  believe,  that  God  would  be  so  partial,  so  unjust,  as  to 
give  the  Jews  success  when  they  went  out  beyond  the  borders  of 
their  land  to  pillage  and  slaughter  their  unoffending  neighbours? — 
No  !  no !  the  divine  Judge  would  not  encourage  such  deeds  even 
amongst  his  people,  for  all  the  world  is  his,  and  the  life  of  one  man 
is  as  dear  to  Him  as  the  life  of  the  other,  and  He  is  no  respecter  of 
persons,  no  favourer  of  the  oppressor  ;  but  He  is  ever  ready  to  save 
the  weaker  from  the  hands  of  him  who  is  more  powerful. 

But  you  will  say :  "  Were  not  the  Jews  a  warlike  people,  lovers 
of  strife  and  fight  ?"  Again  I  ansiver,  no  ;  for  we  read  in  Levit. 
chap.  xxvi.  v.  6  :  "  And  I  will  give  peace  in  the  land,  and  you  shall 
lie  down,  and  none  shall  make  you  afraid ;  and  I  will  remove  the 
evil  beasts  out  of  the  land,  and  the  sword  shall  not  pass  through 
your  land." — And  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Judges  we  find  Deborah 
alluding  to  the  great  want  of  warlike  instruments  among  the  Israelites; 
and  if  a  person  reads  the  book  of  Judges,  which  comprises  a  history 
of  three  hundred  years,  he  will  discover,  that  war  was  a  more  un- 
common occurrence  among  our  ancestors  than  among  any  nation  of 
antiquity,  or  even  modern  times  ! — But  what  1  intend  to  prove  is, 
that  peace  was  considered  by  the  Jew3  as  the  greatest  blessing 
which  the  Almighty  in  his  kindness  could  bestow  upon  them.  This 
doctrine  was  taught  them  by  the  Mosaic  law,  since  God  promised 
them  peace  as  a  reward  for  their  obedience  to  the  divine  will ;  and 
in  the  book  of  Judges  we  find,  that  whenever  the  Israelites  were 
doing  the  will  of  Heaven,  they  had  security  and  peace  ;  but  whenever 
they  deviated,  they  were  punished  with  war  and  desolation :  and  it 
is  recorded,  that  God  sent  the  surrounding  nations  to  oppress  them, 
as  a  punishment  for  their  disobedience  :  and  the  Philistines,  in  par- 


ESSAY  III.  253 

ticular,  were  for  many  years  the  oppressors  of  the   Israelites,  and 
were  not  subdued  till  the  reign  of  David. 

I  hope,  my  dear  friend,  that  1  have  proved  to  your  and  every  can- 
did man's  conviction,  that  we  abhorred  war,  and  thought  it  always 
a  curse,  and  never  considered  it  a  pastime  or  an  employment  worthy 
of  the  generous  and  brave  youths  of  Israel ;  whereas  you  no  doubt 
know  that,  in  the  middle  ages,  Christians  of  every  rank  and  age 
studied  war  as  a  science,  and  practised  it  as  a  game  for  their  daily 
diversion ;  and  I  suspect  that  the  horrors  of  the  tilt-yard  occupy  yet 
their  due  share  in  the  history  of  chivalry. 

But  you  may  say  :  "  That  the  Jews  kept  at  peace  with  their 
neighbours  from  policy,  from  fear  of  consequences  arising  out  of  a 
state  of  war ;  that,  however,  towards  individuals  of  the  gentiles 
they  were  illiberal,  thinking  themselves  not  bound  to  love  them." 
But  if  you  will  only  examine  the  sacred  books  of  the  Mosaic  law,  I 
do  not  doubt  but  that  you  will  confess  your  error.  We  read  in 
Exodus,  chap.  xxii.  v.  21 :  "  Thou  shalt  neither  vex  a  stranger  nor 
oppress  him ;  for  you  were  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt." 

Ibidem,  chap,  xxiii.  v.  9 :  "  And  thou  shalt  not  oppress  the 
stranger ;  and  you  well  know  how  a  stranger  feels,  for  you  have 
yourselves  been  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt." 

In  Leviticus,  chap.  xix.  we  find  the  following  : 

v.  33.  "  And  if  a  stranger  sojourn  in  your  land  with  you,  ye  shall 
not  vex  him" — (neither  vex  him  with  words,  nor  do  him  actual 
wrong). 

v.  34.  "  But  the  stranger  who  dwelleth  with  you  shall  be  unto 
you  as  one  born  amongst  you,  and  thou  shalt  love  him  as  thyself; 
for  you  were  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt :  I  am  the  Eternal  your 
God." 

Here,  then,  my  dear  friend,  you  have  a  complete  refutation  of 
your  opinion,  that  the  Mosaic  law  did  not  enjoin  universal  love.  Now 
do  tell  me,  do  you  find  any  passage  equally  decisive  with  the  fore- 
going, in  any  of  the  gospels  ?  Can  it  now  be  said  that  the  gospels 
have  any  superiority  over  the  five  books  of  Moses  in  this  respect  ? 
But  I  will  not  rest  here,  and  will  go  a  little  further,  and  tell  you, 
that  the  Mosaic  law  looks  even  farther  than  your  gospels  in  the  pro- 
tection of  the  oppressed  part  of  mankind,  namely  the  slave ;  for  it  is 
written,  Deut.  chap,  xxiii.  v.  15  and  16  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  deliver 


254  ESSAY  III. 

unto  his  master  the  servant  who  may  escape  unto  thee  from  his 
master.  He  shall  dwell  with  thee  in  the  midst  of  thee,  in  any  place 
which  he  may  choose,  in  any  one  of  thy  gates,  where  it  pleases  him 
best ;  thou  shalt  not  oppress  him." 

You  may  perhaps  be  disposed  to  confess  that  the  Old  Testament 
does  contain  the  doctrines  which  1  have  advanced ;  but  you  will  say 
that  the  Jews  did  not  understand  them  so — in  fact,  you  have  partly 
said  so  already — you  have  asserted  it,  without  proving  it  further 
than  by  referring  to  the  general  history  of  the  Jews.  You  know, 
however,  that  it  is  very  easy  to  make  assertions ;  but  they  cannot 
stand  unless  supported  by  substantial  proof.  1  will  therefore  first 
deny  your  assertion,  and  then  bring  proof  of  the  truth  of  what  I  ad- 
vance. 

We  all  know  that  the  temple  which  Solomon  built  was  finished  in 
the  four  hundred  and  eighty-seventh  year  after  the  promulgation  of 
the  law  on  mount  Sinai ;  and  of  course  we  all  must  admit  that  the 
opinion  at  that  time  prevailing,  concerning  the  meaning  of  any  part 
of  the  law,  must  be  considered  as  a  pretty  correct  standard  by  which 
to  ascertain  the  meaning  the  Israelites  attached  to  the  law,  which 
was  then,  as  it  is  now,  our  guide  through  life.  It  is  a  lamentable 
fact,  that  the  Old  Testament,  particularly  the  historical  part,  is  but 
little  read  by  the  Christians ;  and  therefore  do  we  find  men  of  learn- 
ing, nay,  preachers,  having  an  inadequate  acquaintance  with  the  sa- 
cred books  of  the  Israelites.  I  will  therefore  transcribe  a  portion  of 
Solomon's  prayer  in  the  temple  at  its  dedication,  as  contained  in  the 
eighth  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Kings,  v.  37—43. 

"If  there  be  in  the  land  famine,  if  there  be  pestilence,  blasting, 
mildew,  locust,  or  if  there  be  caterpillar ;  if  their  enemy  besiege 
them  in  the  land  of  their  cities  ;  whatsoever  plague,  whatsoever  sick- 
ness there  be ;  what  prayer  and  supplication  soever  be  made  by  any 
man,  or  by  all  thy  people  Israel,  which  shall  know  every  man  the 
plague  of  his  own  heart,  and  spread  forth  his  hands  toward  this 
house :  then  hear  thou  in  heaven  thy  dwelling-place,  and  forgive, 
and  do,  and  give  to  every  man  according  to  his  ways,  whose  heart 
thou  knowest ;  (for  thou,  even  thou  only,  knowest  the  hearts  of  all 
the  children  of  men  ;)  that  they  may  fear  thee  all  the  days  that  they 
live  in  the  land  which  thou  gavest  unto  our  fathers. 

"  Moreover,  concerning  a  stranger,  that  is  not  of  thy  people  Is- 


ESSAY  III.  255 

rael,  but  cometh  out  of  a  far  country  for  thy  name's  sake,  (for  they 
shall  hear  of  thy  great  name,  and  of  thy  strong  hand,  and  of  thy 
stretched-out  arm,)  when  he  shall  come  and  pray  toward  this  house : 
hear  thou  in  heaven  thy  dwelling-place,  and  do  according  to  all  that 
the  stranger  calleth  to  thee  for ;  that  all  people  of  the  earth  may 
know  thy  name,  to  fear  thee,  as  do  thy  people  Israel ;  and  that  they 
may  know  that  this  house  which  I  have  builded  is  called  by  thy 
name." — (English  version.) 

I  know  very  well  that  the  last  part  would  have  been  enough  for 
my  purpose  ;  but  I  extracted  the  first  one  also,  to  show  to  those  who 
may  not  be  so  well  acquainted  with  the  Bible,  in  what  manner  the 
wisest  of  men  prayed  for  the  nations  who  do  not  belong  to  Israel  : 
he  first  prays  that  the  Supreme  Ruler  may  listen  to  the  supplication 
of  the  penitent  Israelite ;  and  then,  that  when  he  who  is  no  son  of 
Jacob  comes  to  pray  in  the  sincerity  of  his  heart,  because  he  has 
heard  of  the  glory  of  God,  he  also  may  be  graciously  received,  and 
have  that  granted  unto  him  for  which  he  has  petitioned  the  throne 
of  grace. 

We  find,  in  the  second  book  of  Kings,  that  Elisha  healed  the 
leper  Naaman,  though  it  is  well  known  that  the  nation  to  which  he 
belonged  was  frequently  at  war  with  the  Israelites ;  thus  we  find 
him  assisting  not  alone  a  gentile,  but  even  an  enemy.  What,  then, 
becomes  of  your  assertion,  that  the  Jews  did  not  practise  acts  of 
universal  benevolence  ?  Let  me  advise  you,  my  dear  friend,  to  read 
the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  well  before  you  venture  on  such 
dangerous  ground  again,  as  asserting  things  about  us  Jews  which 
you  might  not  be  able  to  sustain  with  incontestable  proof  when  called 
upon. 

In  support  of  your  assertion  concerning  the  beauty  of  the  gospel, 
you  introduce  a  few  verses  from  the  sermon  on  the  mount,  in  the 
fifth  chapter  of  Matthew.  By  so  doing  you  have  imposed  upon  me 
an  invidious  task,  that  of  attacking  in  some  manner  the  Christian 
religion,  when  I  should  have  been  very  glad  to  have  let  the  gospels 
rest.  But  I  am  now  called  upon  to  defend  the  tenets  of  my  faith, 
and  I  dare  not,  therefore,  shrink  from  the  responsibility  thus  thrown 
upon  me,  although  this  happens  without  my  desiring  it. 

Let  me  premise,  that  the  religion  we  profess  is  divided  into  three 
parts  ;  first,  duties  towards  God  ;  secondly,  duties  towards  our  fellow- 


♦256  ESSAY  III. 

men ,*  and  lastly,  duties  towards  ourselves.  The  duties  towards  God 
require  of  us  the  belief  in  the  Creator,  confidence  in  his  protection, 
hope  in  his  salvation,  and  the  observance  of  those  statutes  which  He 
has  made  known  to  us  as  his  law.  The  duties  towards  our  fellow- 
men  consist  in  acts  of  charity  and  benevolence,  and  in  abstaining 
from  injuring  them  in  their  persons,  property,  and  honour.  Duties 
towards  ourselves  are  :  self-preservation  and  self-defence  ;  by  which 
I  mean,  that  first,  we  ought  not  to  depend  upon  others  for  our  sup- 
port, if  we  are  ourselves  capable  of  earning  a  living ;  as  it  is  beauti- 
fully said  in  the  Proverbs  of  the  Fathers:  "  Sweet  is  the  learning  of 
the  law  combined  with  labour,  for  to  be  engaged  in  both  makes  us 
abstain  from  sin  ;"  and  secondly,  that  we  ought  to  be  careful  of  pre- 
serving our  health,  and  therefore  any  unnecessary  exposure  of  our- 
selves is  unlawful.  Self-defence  also  demands  of  us  to  conduct  ourselves 
so  that  we  shall  not  be  exposed  to  the  hatred  and  violence  of  others ; 
but  if  in  spite  of  all  our  endeavours,  we  are  molested  and  violently 
attacked,  it  is  lawful  to  prevent  our  adversary  from  injuring  us,  (or 
even  others,)  and  if  he  attempts  to  kill  us,  it  is  even  permitted  to 
slay  him  if  we  can  prevent  him  in  no  other  manner  :  in  support  of 
this  position  I  refer  you  to  Exod.  chap.  xxii.  v.  2. 

Again,  it  is  a  settled  point  with  us,  that  not  one  commandment,  or 
part  of  a  commandment,  of  the  Mosaic  law,  was  ever  repealed,  or 
can  be  repealed,  except  in  the  same  manner  as  it  was  promulgated  ; 
that  is,  before  the  whole  nation  of  Israel,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
law  was  given  on  Sinai.  These  preliminaries  are  a  sine  qua  non, 
without  which  no  argument,  however  ingenious,  can  stand  the  test 
of  Jewish  criticism.  Let  us  now  apply  this  rule  to  the  chapter  of 
Matthew  in  question,  to  test  its  correctness.  In  the  outset,  he, 
whom  the  Christians  call  the  Messiah  (Christ),  says  himself: 
"  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets  :  1 
am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil,  &c.  &c."  Here,  my  dear 
Professor  of  Christianity,  you  have  it  from  what  you  must  think  the 
highest  authority,  that  the  gospels  must,  in  every  particular,  conform 
to  the  Mosaic  writings,  which,  let  me  repeat,  were  given  by  the  Author 
of  all  for  the  government  of  Israel ;  and  as  you  believe  in  revelation, 
you  must  acknowledge  that  these  writings  contain  the  best  code  of 
laws  that  can  be  devised.  Well,  then,  when  Matthew  says  :  "  Swear 
not  at  all,"  the  Christian  writers  are  puzzled  how  to  explain  it  so  as 


ESSAY  III.  257 

to  reconcile  it  to  the  Mosaic  law,  which  permits  oaths  under  certain 
circumstances  ("  And  by  his  name  shalt  thou  swear") ;  the  learned 
Doctor  James  Beattie,  therefore,  explains  it,  as  if  its  meaning  were 
"  any  umiecessary  oath,"  which,  however,  can  hardly  be  the  intent 
of  this  passage. — What  Matthew  says  in  the  same  chapter  from 
verse  38  to  41, 1  am  bold  to  assert,  has  not  been  fulfilled  by  fifty  men 
from  all  Christendom  ever  since  Christianity  was  established  ;  and 
if  these  doctrines  were  adopted  as  the  general  rule  of  society,  every 
wicked  person  could  with  impunity  despoil  his  unoffending  neigh- 
bour ;  and  let  me  ask  you,  can  this  be  the  will  of  God  ?  For  what 
purpose  did  He  command  the  election  of  judges,  if  it  were  not  to  see 
the  innocent  righted  ?  And  have  the  Society  of  Friends,*  who, 
more  than  any  other  Christian  sect,  endeavour  to  obey  the  com- 
mandments under  consideration,  ever  acted  up  to  the  latter  of  them  ? 
In  the  forty-third  verse  of  the  same  chapter  Matthew  says :  "  Ye 
have  heard  it  has  been  said,  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  and  hate 
thine  enemy,  &c."  Now  pardon  me,  my  friend,  when  I  beg  of  you 
to  tell  me  in  what  part  of  the  Old  Testament,  or  any  other  Jewish 
writing,  this  sentiment  is  to  be  found  ?  Hate  our  enemies  1 — Hea- 
venly Father  has  it  come  to  this,  that  thy  children,  who  have  suffer- 
ed for  ages  persecutions  without  number  for  the  SANCTIFICA- 
TION  OF  THY  HOLY  NAME— who  have  been  slaughtered 
like  the  sheep  that  are  dumb  before  their  shearers,  without  murmur- 
ing, without  repining — shall  thy  children,  O  our  Father  above,  be 
accused  of  hating  their  enemies  7  Do  they  not  pray  to  Thee  daily : 
"  To  prepare  the  world  for  thy  kingdom,  Almighty  God  !  to  cause 
all  flesh  to  call  thy  name,  and  to  bring  to  Thee  all  sinners  of  the 
earth — that  all  may  receive  the  yoke  of  thy  kingdom,  and  that  Thou 
mayest  speedily  reign  over  all  for  ever,  for  thine  is  the  government, 
and  for  ever  and  ever  Thou  wilt  reign  in  glory  ?" — Again,  we  are 
commanded  in  Levit.  chap.  xix.  v.  18,  that  we  shall  not  avenge 

*  When  this  was  written,  I  was  not  aware  that  the  Professsor  of  Christianity 
was  a  member  of  this  sect,  as  I  rather  supposed  him  to  be  a  baptist  minister  by 
the  name  of  Henry  Keeling,  who  at  that  time  edited  a  paper  at  Richmond, 
called  the  "  Religious  Herald"  :  but  I  was  only  induced  to  mention  the  Friends, 
as  the  Professor  of  Christianity  had  brought  them  forward  to  prove  that  the 
gospel  doctrine,  "  resist  ye  not  evil,"  could  be  fulfilled  ;  it  will,  however,  be  seen, 
that  it  can  only  be  in  part,  since  the  literal  obedience  to  it  is  impossible. 
33 


258  ESSAY  III. 

ourselves,  nor  even,  as  we  rabbinical  Jews  understand  the  word 
-)1Dn  Thittore  (translated  in  the  English  version  "nor  bear  any 
grudge")  to  tell  those  who  have  offended  us  :  "  Look  here,  though 
you  would  not  do  me  the  favour  I  asked  of  you,  yet  will  I  not  do 
like  you  did  to  me, — here  is  what  you  asked  for." — In  Exod.  chap, 
xxiii.  v.  4 — 5,  we  are  positively  enjoined  to  assist  our  enemy, 
when  we  see  him  in  need  of  our  assistance. — In  chap.  xxiv.  v.  17, 
and  chap.  xxv.  v.  21,  of  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  he  tells  us  :  "  Re- 
joice not  when  thy  enemy  falleth,  and  when  he  stumbleth  let  not 
thy  heart  be  glad ;  lest  the  Eternal  see  it,  and  it  displease  Him,  and 
He  turn  his  wrath  from  him." — "  If  thine  enemy  be  hungry,  give 
him  bread  to  eat ;  and  if  he  be  thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink,  &c." 
Thus  we  see  clearly,  that  the  Old  Testament  enjoins  those  exalted 
doctrines,  for  which  you  give  the  gospel  the  sole  credit. 

But  you  will  say,  Christ  lived  in  the  time  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  who  did  not  act  so  ;  who  were  hypocrites,  and  deviated 
from  the  letter  of  the  law !  Indeed  !  but  even  here  you  would  be 
mistaken  ;  for  we  find  the  following  in  the  Talmud  :  "  A  stranger 
came  to  Shamai,  and  told  him,  "  Rabbi,  I  wish  to  become  a  prose- 
lyte ;  but  you  must  teach  me  the  law  while  I  can  stand  on  one  leg ;" 
but  Shamai  turned  him  off,  not  thinking  it  possible  to  teach  him  the 
law  in  so  short  a  time.  The  stranger  went  next  to  Hillel,  surnam- 
ed  the  elder,  and  repeated  the  same  request ;  "  My  son,"  answered 
the  Rabbi,  "  what  is  disagreeable  to  thee  do  not  to  thy  neighbour, 
(or  companion,)  for  thus  it  is  written  :  «  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bour like  thyself;'  this  is  the  principal  commandment,  and  if  thou  ob- 
servest  this  strictly,  thou  wilt  easily  observe  the  other  precepts  of  the 
law.'  " — What  the  Talmud  says  concerning  the  punishment  of  him 
who  makes  his  antagonist  ashamed  in  public  is  also  found  in  the 
Proverbs  of  the  Fathers,  where  we  read  :  "  He  who  makes  the  face 
of  his  neighbour  turn  pale  in  public  though  he  has  knowledge  of 
the  law,  and  has  otherwise  acted  well,  will  not  share  in  the  happi- 
ness of  the  future  life."  What  new  doctrine  then,  I  ask  you  again, 
has  the  gospel  taught  to  the  Jews  ?  since  the  Old  Testament  con- 
tains all  the  practicable  moral  doctrines,  and  the  Rabbins  (Scribes 
and  Pharisees)  of  the  time  of  the  reputed  Christ,  did  invariably 
preach  in  the  temple  and  the  synagogues  doctrines  conformable  to 
their  text-book,  the  twenty-four  books  of  the  Jewish  canon. 


ESSAY  III.  259 

I  have  thus,  I  hope,  made  my  assertion  good,  that  our  law  is  a 
perfect  model  of  a  moral,  religious,  and  civil  code,  that  there  is  no- 
thing too  much,  and  nothing  too  little  in  it ;  and  in  fact,  if  any  man 
will  but  examine  the  wonderful  effect  it  has  had  of  keeping  a  dis- 
persed nation  united,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  he  must  acknow- 
ledge :  "  That  no  nation,  though  ever  so  great,  has  such  just  statutes 
and  commandments  as  those  which  the  Eternal  our  God  has  given 
to  us." 

You,  my  friend,  call  upon  me  to  do  the  Christians  that  justice 
which  I  demand  at  their  hands ;  I  am  willing  to  concede  all  that 
Christians  deserve,  and  I  have  already  acknowledged,  and  shall 
always  do  so,  that  I  have  been  very  kindly  treated  by  them,  and  shall 
always,  till  my  dying  hour,  remember  the  benefits  conferred  on  me 
by  some  of  them. — But  while  I  do  this,  I  must  repeat  and  re-assert, 
that  the  prejudice  existing  against  us  is  highly  unjust,  and  even  con- 
demned by  that  law  which  you  as  Christians  are  bound  to  respect. 
This  was  the  reason  why  I  undertook,  in  the  first  instance,  the  de- 
fence of  our  people  from  the  vile  and  insidious  attacks  of  the  Quar- 
terly Review ;  and  the  same  reason  impels  me  now  to  answer  you, 
though  even  here  I  am  very  willing  to  admit  the  difference  which 
exists  between  your  mode  of  warfare  and  that  of  the  above  men- 
tioned magazine. — Pardon  me  one  more  remark  before  1  dismiss  you 
altogether.  Do  you  know  that  what  you  profess  about  universal 
salvation  is  no  Christian  doctrine  1  Do  you  know  that  it  was  first 
taught,  and  1  may  say,  taught  only,  by  the  Jewish  Rabbins  1 — And 
do  you  know  that  if  you  believe  in  the  gospels,  you  must  renounce 
this  doctrine  as  not  orthodox  ?  How  this  may  be  I  leave  you  to 
settle  with  the  Christian  divines  ;  but  1  must  enter  my  protest  against 
what  you  say  about  the  voice  of  conscience ;  for  revelation  was  given 
to  assist  us  informing  a  correct  course  of  life,  and  if  conscience 
could  of  itself  effect  this,  to  what  purpose  was  the  law  then  given  ? 
— But  our  opinion  is,  that  our  law  was  given  as  the  standard,  to 
which  all  nations  were  ultimately  to  resort  as  to  a  rallying  point, 
till  which  time  every  man,  who  is  no  Israelite,  was  to  be  saved,  if 
he  acted  according  to  the  light  given  him,  and  only  observed  the 
precepts  of  general  revelation  given  to  Noah,  which  are  to  be  found 
in  the  ninth  chapter  of  Genesis ;  and  it  was  therefore  the  practice  of 
the  Jews,  whenever  they  conquered,  to  make  the  subdued  nation 


260  $    ESSAY  III. 

conform  to  the  "  seven  commandments  of  the  children  of  Noah,"  as 
they  are  called  in  the  Talmud. — Each  son  of  Israel,  on  the  contrary, 
is  bound  to  observe  all  that  lies  in  his  power  to  do,  as  otherwise  he 
will  be  punished  for  good  deeds  omitted  and  sins  committed. 

It  would  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  me  to  be  assured  that  I  had 
effectually  removed  the  ill-will  so  many  feel  towards  us — that  1  had 
contributed  a  little  to  make  the  Israelites  more  respected  in  this  coun- 
try, and  especially  in  this  city.  Let  me,  however,  at  the  same  time 
call  upon  my  brethren,  those  who  with  me  believe  in  the  same  im- 
mortal, unchangeable  God ;  who  with  me  are  bound  by  the  same 
faith  ;  who  with  me  live  in  the  land  of  the  stranger — far,  far  from 
the  sweet  hills  of  Israel — far,  far  from  the  sacred  banks  of  the  Jor- 
dan— far,  far  from  the  holy  Jerusalem,  the  city  where  God's  glory 
used  to  dwell ;  who  with  me  hope  to  reach  a  glorious  immortality, 
when  God  will  open  the  graves  of  his  people,  as  promised  by  Ezekiel ; 
— let  me  call  upon  them  to  arouse  from  their  lethargy,  to  break  the 
chains  of  listlessness,  by  which  they  are  bound.  Let  them  draw 
the  bond  of  union  closer — let  each  man  forget  the  injuries  done  by 
his  neighbour — and  then  show  the  world  what  Israel  can  be  even  in 
captivity.  Let  them  show  their  attachment  to  that  beautiful  religion 
which  has  ever  been  the  admiration  of  the  world,  and  prove  them- 
selves, by  conforming  strictly  to  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  divine 
law,  worthy  of  that  glorious  futurity,  for  which  they  are  destined  by 
the  God  of  nature,  by  the  ever  kind  Father  of  Israel ! 

In  conclusion,  I  think  it  necessary  to  make  an  apology,  why  I,  a 
young  man,  who  have  hardly  reached  the  age  of  manhood — who? 
moreover,  am  a  foreigner,  should  step  forward  to  do  that  which 
older  and  wiser  men  than  myself  have  omitted  to  do.  But  I  hope 
that  my  justification  is  contained  in  the  following  from  the  thirty- 
second  chapter  of  Job,  which,  with  little  alteration,  is  well  applica- 
ble to  the  present  case : 

"  And  Elihu,  the  son  of  Barachel  the  Buzite,  answered  and  said, 
I  am  young  and  ye  are  very  old ;  wherefore  I  was  afraid,  and  durst 
not  show  you  my  opinion.  I  said,  Days  shall  speak,  and  multitude 
of  days  should  teach  wisdom.  But  there  is  a  spirit  in  man :  and  the 
inspiration  of  the  Almighty  gives  them  understanding.  Great  men 
are  not  always  wise ;  neither  do  the  aged  understand  judgment. 
Therefore  I  said,  Hearken  unto  me ;  I  will  also  show  mine  opinion. 


ESSAY  III.     \  261 

Behold,  I  awaited  for  your  words ;  I  gave  ear  to  your  reasons, 
while  ye  searched  out  what  to  say.  Yea,  I  attended  unto  you  ,*  and 
behold,  there  was  none  of  you  that  convinced  Job,  or  that  answered 
his  words :  lest  ye  should  say,  We  have  found  out  wisdom  :  God 
thrusteth  him  down,  not  man.  Now  he  has  not  directed  his  words 
against  me  ;  neither  will  I  answer  him  with  your  speeches.  They 
were  amazed ;  they  answered  no  more  ;  they  left  off  speaking. 
When  I  had  waited,  (for  they  spake  not,  but  stood  still  and  answered 
no  more  ;)  I  said,  I  will  answer  also  my  part ;  I  also  will  show  my 
opinion.  For  I  am  full  of  matter  ;  the  spirit  within  me  constraineth 
me." 

Like  Elihu  1  have  considered  it  my  duty  to  speak,  because  older 
men  did  not  speak  ;  and  I  was  thus  in  a  manner  compelled  to  assume 
the  fearful  responsibility  of  accepting  the  challenge,  which  others 
neglected  to  do.  I  have,  like  the  holy  writer,  endeavoured  to  abuse 
no  man,  nor  to  flatter  any  one  ;  but  have  given,  as  far  as  1  believe, 
things  their  proper  names,  without  intending  to  give  offence  to  any 
one  ;  I  have  tried — 

u  Nothing  to  extenuate,  nor  set  down  ought  in  malice." 

How  far  I  have  succeeded  I  leave  others  to  judge ;  and  I  only  beg  of 
all  to  listen  to  my  defence  with  patience,  and  to  read  my  remarks  to 
the  end.      I  dare  not  hope  that  which  I  have  written  will  stand  the 

^est  of  severe  criticism ;  but  I  request  that  every  fault  may  be  as- 

'cribed  to  the  head,  but  not  the  heart  of 

A  Native  op  Germany. 


Richmond,  Va., 

Sunday  morning,  January  25th,  1 829. 


262 


ESSAY  IV. 

TO  "  A  NATIVE  OF  GERMANY." 

There  would  have  been  less  occasion  to  offer  myself  again  to  your 
notice,  if  the  language  I  used  in  my  late  very  imperfect  essay  had 
not  been  misconceived.  The  limits  I  had  prescribed  myself  did  not 
allow  me  sufficient  room  to  express  my  meaning  with  all  the  clear- 
ness 1  could  have  desired ;  and  1  am  therefore  under  the  necessity 
of  explaining  my  views  more  fully.  Before  I  do  this,  however,  per- 
mit me,  my  dear  friend,  (and  I  reciprocate  the  term  with  the  utmost 
cordiality,)  to  express  the  gratification  I  feel  that  you  were  so  well 
pleased  with  the  spirit  of  my  remarks.  In  return,  I  beg  leave  to 
offer  my  acknowledgments  for  the  courtesy  and  kindness  you  have 
shown  in  replying  to  me.  I  am  happy  in  having  so  generous  and 
temperate  an  opponent.  Indeed  it  was  the  presence  of  those  esti- 
mable qualities  in  your  vindication  of  the  Jews  from  opprobrious  and 
unmanly  attacks,  and  not  any  predilection  for  controversy,  that 
made  me  consent  to  claim  your  attention  at  all.  I  wish  you  every 
success  in  your  attempts  to  allay  the  prejudice  that  exists  against 
your  nation  ;  and  I  trust  your  appeal  to  the  liberality  of  an  enlight- 
ened people  will  not  be  in  vain,  so  far,  at  least,  as  it  may  be  enforce^ 
by  the  virtue  and  integrity  of  your  lives.  To  this  test  I  doubt  not"' 
you  will  be  perfectly  willing  to  submit  yourselves. 

In  the  application  I  intended  to  make  of  the  passage  from  Mat- 
thew, chap  v.  v.  43,  "Ye  have  heard  it  said,  thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  and  hate  thine  enemy,"  you  have  entirely  misapprehended 
my  object ;  and  I  am  the  more  grieved  at  it,  as  you  have  manifested 
so  much  generous  sensibility  on  the  occasion.  1  cheerfully  acknow- 
ledge that,  if  war  is  admissible,  the  provisions  of  your  law  tended  very 
much  to  mitigate  its  rigours,  considering  the  principles  on  which  it 
was  waged  by  cotemporary  nations.  When  I  quoted  the  precept — 
"  But  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies,"  1  did  it  for  the  purpose  of 
showing,  that  not  only  war  and  every  species  of  violence,  but  every 
thing  like  hatred,  is  opposed  to  the  benign  spirit  of  the  gospel.     To 


ESSAY  IV.  263 

say  the  least,  you  cannot  deny  that  war  was  tolerated  under  certain 
circumstances  by  the  Mosaic  law — indeed,  you  have  defended  it  to 
a  particular  extent.  But  the  gospel  injunction,  if  1  understand  it, 
strikes  at  the  very  root  of  all  discord  and  dissention,  by  inculcating 
brotherly  love  and  peace ;  for  if  the  passions  and  feelings  which  lead 
to  strife  are  subdued,  all  contention  must  cease  to  exist  (a).  And 
in  this  view,  the  injunction  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  angelic 
anthem  chanted  on  the  birth  of  Christ :  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  men."  In  these  few  words 
the  character  and  object  of  his  mission  are  beautifully  declared ;  and 
the  whole  course  of  his  ministry,  the  whole  tenor  of  his  spotless  life, 
go  conclusively  to  show  that  it  was  for  the  attainment  of  this  end 
that  he  laboured  and  that  he  died.  Our  religion  in  its  purity  is 
emphatically  a  religion  of  charity  and  peace.  This  feature  so  strik- 
ingly pervades  the  whole  series  of  the  writings  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, that  I  believe  (b)  nothing  can  be  found  in  them  which  will 
bear  an  opposite  construction,  when  taken  in  connection  with  the 
whole.  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world  ;  if  my  kingdom  were  of 
this  world,  then  would  my  servants  fight."  John  xviii.  36.  This 
language  was  uttered  at  a  time  when  Christians  must  all  believe 
that  it  was  in  the  power  of  Jesus  to  call  down  assistance  even  from 
heaven,  to  (c)  protect  himself  from  the  violence  of  man.  We  can  ima- 
gine no  situation  when  the  desire  to  avail  ourselves  of  relief  can  be 
greater,  than  when  we  are  in  the  act  of  being  dragged  to  a  cruel 
rand  ignominious  death.  And  the  apostle  James  asks,  "  Whence 
"came  wars  and  fightings  among  you  ?  Come  they  not  hence,  even 
from  the  lusts  that  war  in  your  members?"  iv.  1.  Now,  my  dear 
friend,  though  you  say  the  Mosaic  law  is  a  superstructure  of  perfect 
symmetry,  in  which  there  is  not  the  least  disproportion,  "  nothing 
too  much,  and  nothing  too  little," — you  must  either  prove  the  advan- 
tages of  a  state  of  war,  however  modified,  in  favour  of  the  happiness 
of  mankind,  (d)  over  the  contrary  state  of  peace  and  good  will,  to 
enable  you  to  establish  the  superiority  of  that  law, — or  you  must 
acknowledge  its  inferiority  to  the  gospel.  And  I  will  endeavour  to 
deprive  you,  from  your  own  showing,  of  any  argument  you  might 
advance  in  support  of  a  justifiable  resort  to  war.  You  say  that  the 
Jews  considered  peace  as  the  greatest  blessing,  and  that  this  doc- 
trine was  taught  by  the  Mosaic  law,  inasmuch  as  God  promised 


264  ESSAY  IV. 

peace  as  a  reward  for  their  obedience  to  the  divine  will.  You  more- 
over state  that,  whenever  the  Jews  were  doing  the  will  of  heaven, 
they  lived  in  perfect  security ;  but  when  they  were  disobedient,  God 
sent  the  surrounding  nations  to  oppress  them.  Now,  if  peace  is  a 
blessing,  and  obedience  to  the  divine  will  is  a  sure  means  of  meriting 
and  enjoying  tranquillity,  my  position  is  established,  that  war  is  not 
only  no  part  of  the  divine  economy  in  the  government  of  mankind, 
but  that  it  is  in  every  aspect  offensive  in  the  sight  of  heaven.  Is  it 
not,  moreover,  a  rational  conclusion,  that  when  the  children  of  Israel 
had  been  guilty  of  a  defection  from  the  law  of  God,  so  as  to  call 
down  his  displeasure  upon  them,  he  would,  even  if  they  had  not  re- 
sisted the  scourge  sent  to  chastise  them,  have  interposed  his  power- 
ful arm  in  favour  of  his  chosen  people,  as  soon  as  their  transgressions 
had  been  atoned  for  by  suffering  or  repentance  ?  (e) 

1  am  sensible,  my  friend,  and  I  shall  not  affect  to  conceal  it,  that 
you  may  retort  with  far  more  severity  than  you  have  indulged,  and 
demand,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  if  universal  love  be  so  strongly  incul- 
cated by  the  gospel,  why  do  not  its  followers  practise  it  ?  It  can 
only  be  accounted  for  on  the  supposition  that  they  had  fallen  short 
of  a  complete  and  unreserved  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  And 
wherever  this  disobedience  exists,  in  every  age  and  nation,  the  result 
is  invariably  the  same,  namely,  aggression,  insult,  and  injury,  and  a 
consequent  substraction  from  the  sum  of  human  enjoyment.  Jews 
and  Christians  have  alike  been  guilty  of  a  departure  from  the  spirit 
of  the  religion  they  have  respectively  professed  ;  and  if  a  comparisoiiN? 
were  instituted,  it  would  be  found  that  there  is  hardly  any  thing  in 
the  Jewish  wars,  down  to  the  destruction  of  the  holy  city,  to  which 
a  parallel  might  not  be  furnished  in  the  butcheries  which  have  been 
practised  at  various  times  by  the  nations  of  Christendom.  If  Christ 
had  commanded  his  followers  to  hate,  not  only  their  enemies,  (for 
that,  comparatively  speaking,  would  have  been  mercy,  if  they  had 
proceeded  no  farther,)  but  all  mankind,  and  one  another,  they  could 
scarcely  in  some  instances  have  resigned  themselves  more  complete- 
ly to  his  will.  Not  only  can  the  golden  regions  of  Mexico  and  Peru 
attest  the  tender  mercies  of  Christian  warfare,  but  history  records 
many  a  bloody  conflict  waged  by  one  Christian  power  against 
another,  in  the  holy  cause  of  religion ;  and  individuals  have  been 
subjected   to  martyrdom,  and  communities   to   massacre,   for  the 


ESSAY  IV.  2(55 

ostensible  purpose  of  promoting  the  glory  of  the  God  of  love  !  Indeed, 
a  faithful  ecclesiastical  history  would,  1  fear,  embrace  one  half  the 
crimes  and  enormities  of  Christendom.  But  though  this  may  be  an 
awful  truth,  still  it  does  not  impair  the  intrinsic  excellence  of  the 
gospel,  any  more  than  the  iniquities  of  the  Jews  detracted  from  the 
purity  of  the  law  of  Moses.  No  abuse  of  any  blessing  can  consti- 
tute a  valid  objection  against  the  use  for  which  it  was  designed,  (jf) 

But  you  may  say  all  this  is  a  Eutopian  scheme,  incapable  of  being 
realised.  In  reply,  my  friend,  1  would  again  refer  you  to  the  pages 
of  history,  where,  in  "  words  that  burn,"  you  may  discover  that  it 
has  been  triumphantly  reduced  to  practice,  under  the  auspices  of 
the  wise  and  benevolent  Penn,  who  has  been  eulogised  by  the  philo- 
sophic Jefferson  as  one  of  the  greatest  lawgivers  of  any  age.  One 
clear  (g)  and  incontestable  fact  cannot  be  overturned  by  all  the  wit 
and  ingenuity  of  man. 

After  this  exposition  of  the  peaceful  character  of  the  gospel,  it 
may  not  be  necessary  for  me  to  notice  particularly  your  evidence  to 
show  that  the  oppressed  part  of  mankind,  namely,  the  slave,  was 
more  humanely  provided  for  by  the  Mosaic  law.  If  I  have  succeed- 
ed in  convincing  you  that  violence  and  injustice  form  no  part  of  the 
gospel,  it  must  follow  that  slavery,  which  is  one  of  the  most  odious 
species  of  violence,  inasmuch  as  its  effect  is  to  bind  the  free  spirit  of 
man,  which  should  be  left  as  uncontrolled  in  the  exercise  of  its  legi- 
timate powers  as  the  air  we  breathe,  is  at  war  with  the  whole  genius 
6f  the  gospel.  If,  after  all,  however,  and  contrary  to  my  most  san- 
guine expectations,  it  can  be  established  that  war  and  slavery  are 
not  incompatible  with  genuine  Christianity,  1  should  then  enter  upon 
a  vindication  of  its  excellence  with  extreme  diffidence. 

In  enumerating  the  duties  which  the  Mosaic  law  imposes,  you  di- 
vide them  into  three  classes,  namely,  our  duties  to  God,  to  our  fel- 
low-men, and  to  ourselves.  That  the  gospel  imposes  solemn  duties 
of  the  same  character,  cannot,  I  presume,  be  denied  by  its  most  in- 
veterate enemies.  Now,  admitting  the  Jewish  religion  to  be  founded 
on  the  power  of  God,  which  I  firmly  believe,  (though  adapted  in 
some  of  its  details  to  the  particular  state  of  the  children  of  Israel,)  I 
may  reasonably  ask  you  to  make  the  same  concession  in  regard  to 
our  religion,  in  so  far  as  it  enjoins  the  same  duties  with  yours.  The 
same  truths  cannot  be  derived  from  sources  contradictory  in  their 
34 


26G  ESSAY  IV. 

nature.  If  any  great  moral  duty  is  founded  on  the  power  of  God  in 
one  instance,  it  must  be  equally  so  wherever  it  is  known  and  ac- 
knowledged, if  this  concession  is  granted,  I  presume  you  will  not 
withhold  your  assent  to  the  following  propositions :  1.  That  the 
object  of  true  religion  is  to  reform  the  heart,  and  cleanse  it  from  all 
impurity.  2.  That  consequently  no  religion  of  which  this  is  not  the 
legitimate  effect  can  be  of  any  value.  If,  therefore,  this  be,  in  any 
degree,  the  effect  of  Christianity,  which  I  have  feebly  endeavoured  to 
show,  just  so  far  is  it  entitled  to  respect,  and  no  farther,  (h)  It  is 
far  from  my  intention,  however,  to  be  understood  as  confining  the 
exercise  of  these  redeeming  virtues  to  those  who  profess  the  Christian 
name. 

In  every  important  discussion,  it  is  proper  that  a  definite  meaning 
should  be  attached  to  particular  terms.  This  is  the  more  indispens- 
able on  the  present  occasion,  as  you  seem  to  have  taken  a  very 
limited  view  of  the  gospel.  The  New  Testament  is  not  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  but  a  written  testimony  in  support  of  it.  "  The  gospel  is 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  Romans  i.  16.  Wherever,  there- 
fore, the  power  of  God  is  manifested  to  salvation,  there  is  the  gospel 
known.  The  apostle  Paul  says,  moreover,  that  "  it  is  preached  to 
every  creature  under  heaven."  Col.  i.  2,  S.  It  follows  of  course 
that  the  law  of  Christ  cannot  be  any  external  written  law ;  and 
though  many  of  my  fellow-professors  believe  it  to  be  essentially 
such,  yet  there  is  no  evidence  in  the  New  Testament  at  all  conclu- 
sive  in  support  of  such  an  opinion.  We  are  never  referred  to  it  I^ 
containing  in  itself  any  redeeming  power  ;  but  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles unceasingly  directed  the  attention  of  the  people  to  the  spiritual- 
ity of  religion.  "  And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  will  give  you 
another  comforter,  and  he  shall  abide  with  you  for  ever,  even  the 
spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth 
him  not,  neither  knoweth  him ;  but  you  know  him,  because  he 
dwelleth  with  you  and  shall  be  in  you."  John  xiv.  16,  17.  (i)  This 
spirit  of  truth  was  to  teach  his  followers  all  things,  v.  26.  "  For 
the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness ; 
because  that  which  is  to  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  in  them,  for 
God  hath  shown  it  unto  them."  Rom.  i.  18,  19.  And  the  same 
apostle  goes  on  to  say  in  the  same  epistle  :  "  The  word  is  nigh  thee, 


ESSAY  IV.  267 

even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart ;  that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which 
we  preach."  x.  8.  "The  grace  of  God  that  brings  salvation  has 
appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us  that  by  denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this 
present  world,"  &c.  Titus,  ii.  11,  12.  "  We  have  also  a  more  sure 
word  of  prophecy  (than  the  outward  knowledge  of  Christ) ;  where- 
unto  ye  do  well  to  take  heed,  as  to  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place."  2  Peter,  i.  19.  These  are  a  very  few  of  the  passages  that 
might  be  cited  from  the  New  Testament  to  prove  the  entire  spirit- 
uality of  the  gospel.  And  this  gospel-state  is  so  clearly  foretold  by 
the  sacred  writers,  that  it  will  be  unnecessary  for  me  to  refer  to 
more  than  one  or  two  passages  in  the  Old  Testament  in  evidence  of 
it.  "  But  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house 
of  Israel :  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in 
their  hearts,  and  write  it  in  their  inward  parts  ;  and  they  shall  teach 
no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  say- 
ing, Know  the  Lord  ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me  from  the  least  of 
them  to  the  greatest  of  them."  Jer.  xxxi.  33 — 34.  "  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  afterwards,  that  1  will  pour  out  my  spirit  on  all  flesh." 
Joel  ii.  28.  And  Moses  expressly  speaks  of  this  same  spiritual  guide 
and  teacher,  when  in  his  last  and  solemn  advice  to  the  children  of 
Israel  he  says  :  "  This  commandment,  which  I  command  thee  this 
day,  is  not  hidden  from  thee  ;  neither  is  it  far  off:  but  the  word  is 
nigh  thee,  (/»:)  in  thy  heart,  and  in  thy  mouth,  that  thou  mayst  do  it." 
•Deut.  xxx.  11 — 14.  These  passages  are  also  referred  to  by  the 
apostles,  in  proof  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  in  this  com- 
prehensive law,  that  the  beauty,  the  simplicity,  and  the  efficacy  of 
the  Christian  religion  consist.  It  is  this  word  of  God  "  which  is 
quick  and  powerful,  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit," 
that  may  be  said  to  be  the  flaming  sword  which  guards  the  entrance 
into  the  paradise  of  God,  through  which  none  can  pass  without 
having  every  thing  slain  that  is  opposed  to  the  divine  nature. 

Such  a  religion  as  this  cannot  be  extended  nor  limited  by  the  no- 
tions or  opinions  of  mankind,  concerning  outward  or  temporal  cir- 
cumstances. This  view  is  predicated  on  the  fact,  which  is  alike 
obvious  both  to  Jew  and  gentile,  that  goodness  or  righteousness  is 
the  same  thing  in  all ;  and  is  the  effect  of  a  power  which  proceeds 
from  the  same  universal  and  blessed  fountain,  and  produces  the  same 


268  ESSAY  IV. 

fruits  in  every  individual  of  the  human  family  who  submits  himself 
to  its  influence.  Doubtless  it  was  by  this  efficient  power  that  Abel 
offered  an  acceptable  sacrifice  ;  that  Enoch  walked  with  God  ;  that 
Noah  preached  arid  practised  righteousness  ;  with  all  the  other  illus- 
trious examples  which  are  recorded  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 
The  histories  of  nations  or  individuals  are  religiously  available  to 
the  rest  of  mankind,  only  because  of  the  developement  of  the  princi- 
ples by  which  they  were  actuated  in  what  they  did  :  and  it  would  be 
as  rational  to  deny,  that  the  principle  of  honesty  or  piety  would 
make  men  honest  or  pious  in  the  present  day,  (and  without  distinc- 
tion as  to  nation  or  profession,)  as  that  the  sun  shines  with  the  same 
light,  and  produces  the  same  effects  upon  the  earth  and  all  its  inha- 
bitants now  that  it  did  five  thousand  years  ago.  Permit  me,  my 
friend,  to  call  your  attention  to  the  universality  ascribed  to  this 
power  in  Isaiah,  chap.  xlix.  v.  6.  "  It  is  a  light  thing  that  thou 
shouldst  be  my  servant,  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and  to  re- 
store the  preserved  of  Israel :  I  will  also  give  thee  for  a  light  to  the 
gentiles,  that  thou  mayst  be  my  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
I  believe  it  is  a  pretty  generally  received  opinion,  both  with  Jews 
and  Christians,  that  those  passages  which  relate  to  God's  saving 
power,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  should  be  interpreted 
as  referring  to  a  'person.  It  is  true  that  it  is  personified  ;  but  so  is 
wisdom,  so  is  death,  and  so  is  Jerusalem,  and  many  other  things 
that  all  men  know  are  not  persons.  The  words  of  the  prophet, 
therefore,  as  I  conceive,  are  only  truly  and  adequately  interpreted^* 
when  applied  to  the  universal  power  and  wisdom  of  God,  (Z)  which 
indeed  did  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob  and  restore  the  preserved 
of  Israel ;  and  has  been,  is  now,  and  always  will  be,  the  only  sav- 
ing power  to  the  end  of  the  earth.  No  matter  in  what  person,  or  in 
what  period  of  time  it  may  be  manifested,  whether  in  Enoch,  or 
Joseph,  or  Daniel,  or  Paul,  or  Peter ;  or  in  the  supremely  holy  and 
blessed  Jesus;  it  is  still  the  "only  thing  under  heaven,  given 
among  men,  by  which  we  can  be  saved."  ft  is  the  "  fountain  of 
living  waters"  streaming  through  all  generations,  applied  to  all  con- 
ditions, and  perpetually  performing  the  same  glorious  work  of 
cleansing  the  defilements  of  the  human  mind ;  and  producing  a  change 
in  all  its  propensities  and  faculties  :  so  that  in  the  beautiful,  figurative 
language  of  the  prophet,  "  the  wilderness"   of  human  nature  is 


ESSAY  IV.  269 

changed  into  an  "  Eden,"  and  tho  "  desert"  of  human  thought  and 
affection  "  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord,"  where  "  joy  and  good- 
ness" spring  up  in  the  place  of  "  weeping  and  wailing ;"  and  "  thanks- 
giving and  the  voice  of  melody"  supplant  the  doleful  Chorazins  of 
"  mourning  and  lamentation."  As  this  great  and  momentous  change 
is  accomplished,  the  prophecies  are  found  to  be  actually  fulfilled  in 
the  experience  of  every  individual  who  submits  to  the  divine  govern- 
ment. The  mind  is  then  no  longer  under  the  necessity  of  looking 
outward,  or  backward,  or  to  futurity,  for  the  coming  or  appearance 
of  God's  Messiah  ;  but  he  is  found  to  be  present  to  rebuke  all  fierce- 
ness and  contention  :  and  by  the  introduction  of  peace  and  love,  to 
cause  them  to  "  beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their 
spears  into  pruning  hooks."  For  every  impure,  dishonest,  proud,  or 
revengeful  temper  becomes  the  object  of  his  judgment ;  and  as  the 
creature  submits  to  his  blessed  operation,  he  changes  these  dis- 
positions into  concord  and  harmony ;  so  that  those  which  were  as 
ravenous  as  the  "  wolf,  the  leopard,  and  the  young  lion,"  become  as 
innocent  "  as  the  lamb,  the  kid,  or  the  fatling,  and  so  gentle  that  a 
little  child  can  lead  them."  And  I  appeal  to  the  experience  of  all, 
if  we  have  not  witnessed  the  presence  of  this  holy  and  heavenly 
being,  conversing  in  secret,  by  means  of  thought  and  affection,  with 
the  heart ;  and  producing  all  the  righteousness  we  ever  knew,  and  all 
the  happiness  we  ever  felt.  In  the  operations  of  this  living  reality 
does  the  Christian  religion  consist,  according  to  my  belief,  and  not 
in  the  dogmas  of  men,  nor  in  their  conjectures  concerning  external 
historical  events.  He  who  becomes  a  subject  of  the  government  of 
the  spiritual  Messiah,  is  introduced  by  him  into  holiness  and  purity, 
whether  he  call  him  by  one  name  or  another.  For  it  is  the  tiling 
that  produces  the  effect ;  and  not  the  name  by  ichich  it  is  called. 
All  the  prophetic  declarations  of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  are  pre- 
dicated upon  such  a  change  in  the  human  mind,  as  is  above  referred 
to ;  for  it  is  impossible,  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  righteousness 
should  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  do  the  sea,  by  any  other 
means  than  the  suppression  of  all  unrighteousness.  But  the  power 
which  is  alone  able  to  perform  these  miracles  of  love  and  goodness, 
must  be  omnipresent ;  and,  therefore,  as  Moses  testified,  it  is  not  far 
from  us  : "  it  is  very  nigh  thee,  in  thy  heart  and  in  thy  mouth,  that 
thou  may st  do  it."  (m) 


270  ESSAY  IV. 

In  conclusion,  my  friend,  though  these  are  my  views,  I  always 
hope  to  be  able  to  extend  to  others  who  see  through  a  different  me- 
dium, that  charity  which  I  am  well  aware  I  shall  need  on  account 
of  my  own  imperfections.  You  say  you  are  determined  never  to 
change  your  faith.  It  is  far  from  my  desire  to  make  proselytes, 
for  the  name  is  perhaps  no  essential  part  of  Christianity.  It  is  by 
"  doing  justly,  loving  mercy,  and  walking  humbly  ;"  doing  to  others 
as  we  would  they  should  do  us  ;  loving  God  above  all  things,  and  our 
neighbour  as  ourselves ;  that  we  fulfil  the  end  for  which  we  were 
created,  at  least  during  our  present  state  of  existence :  and  whoever 
does  this  I  hope  to  regard  him  as  a  brother,  let  his  name  be  what  it 
may.  A  Professor  of  Christianity. 


NOTES  BY  I.  L. 

Although  it  was  my  first  intention  to  let  my  friend  have  the  last 
word,  yet  upon  re-perusing  his  production,  I  think  it  necessary  to  com- 
ment on  several  passages,  where  I  believe  he  has  fallen  into  uninten- 
tional errors,  which  are  owing  altogether  to  his  not  having  been 
taught  to  view  things  with  the  eye  of  an  Israelite,  or,  in  other  words, 
that  he,  like  most  Christians,  has  thought  proper  to  spiritualise  the 
Scriptures,  and  to  invest  prophecies  with  meanings  which  are  not 
warranted  by  a  literal  interpretation  of  them.  ,».. 

(a) — "  All  contention  must  cease  to  exist."  This  is  no  doubt  true/.' 
for  the  absence  of  evil  inclination  is  of  itself  a  sufficient  guarantee, 
that  its  fruit — evil  deeds — will  not  exist :  but  the  precepts  of  the 
Mosaic  law,  "  if  I  understand  them  right,"  forbid  hatred  altogether, 
for  we  read  in  chap.  xix.  v.  17  of  Leviticus  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  hate 
thy  brother  in  thy  heart ;"  and  it  follows  from  this,  that,  if  hatred  and 
manevolence  are  banished,  strife  and  war  cannot  take  place,  especial- 
ly as  we  are  forbidden  to  take  vengeance  upon  one  another.  But  it 
is  not  the  observance,  but  the  infraction  of  the  holy  law,  which  is 
the  cause  of  national  war  and  civil  strife;  of  course  then  the  gospel 
cannot  claim  any  superiority  over  our  Pentateuch  in  this  respect,  as 
the  latter  is  altogether  calculated,  even  more  so  than  the  former,  to 
eradicate  the  cause  of  war,  as  the  resistance  to  evil  through  legal 
means  is  permitted  by  the  Pentateuch,  but  forbidden  by  the  gospels, 
if  taken  literally;  and  if  we  once  commence  spiritualising  any  pre- 


ESSAY  IV.  271 

cept,  so  as  to  remove  its  harsh  and  unpalatable  features,  it  requires 
but  the  ingenuity  of  an  ordinary  lawyer  to  make  its  operations  entire- 
ly ineffectual. — And  if  the  Professor  of  Christianity  had  carefully 
compared  our  law  with  the  gospels,  I  am  confident  he  would  not  have 
fallen  into  the  error  which  I  felt  constrained  to  expose. 

(b) — "  Nothing  can  be  found  in  them,  which,"  &c.  I  am  sorry  that 
I  cannot  even  permit  this  to  pass  unnoticed,  for  the  gospels  contain  at 
least  two  passages  which  do  not  even  allow  us  to  harbour  a  thought 
that  Christianity  could  bring  peace,  much  less  to  view  it  as  the  chief  re- 
quisite of  a  Christian. — Matthew  x.  34 :  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come 
to  send  peace  on  earth ;  I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword." — 
The  Notzry  next  states,  that  "  a  man's  foes  shall  be  of  his  own  house- 
hold j"  which  prophecy,  strange  to  tell,  is  the  only  one  in  the  New 
Testament  which  has  been  literally  fulfilled.  (See  also  Luke  xii.  51.) 
And  I  must  maintain,  that  these  two  passages,  supposing  even  the 
Notzry  to  have  been  a  prophet,  prove  clearly,  that  the  gospels  sanc- 
tion a  state  of  war,  as  they  predict  that  such  shall  be  the  consequence, 
of  the  prevalence  of  Christianity. 

(c) — "  Assistance  even  from  Heaven  to  protect  himself,"  &c.  If 
it  is  true  that  the  so  called  Christ  was  to  die,  it  is  impossible  that  any 
assistance  from  Heaven  could  have  been  granted  him,  for  in  that  case 
God  would  have  used  means  to  defeat  his  own  immutable  will,  which 
is  evidently  an  absurdity. — Besides  Peter  did  fight,  for  he  cut  off  the 
ear  of  one  of  the  high-priest's  servants  ;  and  it  appears,  that  in  spite 
of  the  Notzry's  prohibition,  his  chief  servant,  upon  whom  he  said  he 
would  build  his  church,  did  resort  to  violence,  of  course  he  did  not 
/understand  the  sermon  on  the  mount  to  prohibit  war,  or  else  he  would 
have  acted  contrary  to  law,  and  what  is  the  same,  have  been  a  man 
of  violence  and  a  sinner. 

(d) — "  Over  the  contrary  state  of  peace,"  &c.  I  must  remind  my 
friend  that  I  explicitly  stated  that  war  is  a  curse,  and  a  curse  of  such 
magnitude  even,  that  every  other  expedient  of  redress  should  be  ex- 
hausted, before  it  ought  to  be  resorted  to.  On  the  other  side,  how- 
ever, there  are  evils  greater  even  than  direful  war,  which  must  be 
resisted  at  every  hazard.  Passive  obedience  and  submission  to  usurped 
authority  would,  as  the  world  is  now  constituted,  open  the  door  to 
every  outrage,  and  every  act  of  aggression,  villany  can  conceive ; 
whereas  the  consciousness  that  violence  will  be  met  by  violence,  de- 
ters despots  frequently  from  injuring  surrounding  nations,  just  as  the 
dread  of  punishment  by  the  hand  of  justice  compels  the  wicked  man 
to  refrain  from  his  meditated  burglary  or  murder.     War,  therefore. 


S72  ESSAY  IV. 

and  violence  can  only  then  cease,  when  the  state  of  the  world  is  dif- 
ferent from  what  it  is  now.  That  the  knowledge  of  the  gospels  cannot 
have  the  effect  of  producing  this  altered  state  of  society,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  deny,  though  I  am  ready  to  confess  that  certain  men  profess- 
ing Christianity  have  lived  peaceably,  even  to  such  a  degree  as  not  to 
resist  actual  aggression.  But  as  the  Hebrew  religion  is,  in  fact,  what- 
ever our  opponents  may  say  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,  a  religion 
of  love  and  mercy,  its  universal  acknowledgment  will  eradicate  all 
motives  of  violence  and  aggression,  since  the  world  will  be  enlighten- 
ed in  the  knowledge  of  the  Eternal  to  such  a  degree,  that  peace  will 
be  preferred  by  all  mankind,  and  it  therefore  will  abolish  the  possibility 
even  of  war,  and  this  we  are  taught  by  our  prophets.  (Isaiah,  chap, 
ii.  v.  4.)   Till,  however,  this  universal  knowledge  reigns,  violence,  as 
has  been  said,  must  and  may  lawfully  be  resorted  to,  to  ward  off  ewk 
of  great  magnitude,  which  admit  of  no  other  remedy.     Amputation 
of  a  limb  is  an  evil,  and  would  never  be  performed  when  it  is  in  a 
healthy  state ;  but  if  the  limb  be  fractured,  lacerated,   or  otherwise 
wounded,  so  as  to  endanger  the  life  of  the  patient,   amputation  be- 
comes necessary,  and  it  is  resorted  to,  to  ward  off  the  greater  evil — 
death.     Just  so  it  is  in  the  present  state  of  the  world.    War  is  abhor- 
rent to  the  benign  principles  of  the  divine  religion  revealed  unto  our 
ancestors  when  they  had  been  redeemed  from  slavery  ;  violence  is  pro- 
hibited ;  injustice  of  every  kind  is  interdicted  ;  and  peace,  internal  and 
external,  is  held  up  to  our  view  as  the  greatest  blessing  the  Supreme 
Ruler  can  bestow  on  the  children  of  his  creation.     But  should  we  be 
molested,  our  country  invaded,  our  liberties  attacked,  our  children 
slaughtered,  or  our  sanctuary  polluted,  then  it  becomes  our  duly  {o 
rise  in  our  manhood,  to  step  forward,  and  do  battle  for  "  our  peopfe 
and  the  cities  of  our  God,"  and  we  deserve  to  be  branded  with  the 
epithets  of  cowards,  slothful,  and  irreligious  men,  if  we  would  fold 
our  arms  over  our  bosom,  and  say  :  "  We  dare  not  defend  our  lives, 
our  honour,  and  our  religion."     Indeed,  I  must  repeat,  war  is  a  curse, 
but  there  are  greater  curses  than  it,  and  to  protect  us  against  them, 
war  is  permitted  and  even  commanded. 

(e)— "  Had  been  atoned  for  by  suffering  or  repentance  ?"  If  my 
friend  means  to  assert  in  this  sentence,  the  conclusion  of  which  I  have 
quoted,  that  no  war  can  be,  emphatically  speaking,  a  holy  war ;  but 
that  even  defensive  war  is  hateful  in  the  sight  of  Heaven :  I  am 
obliged  to  dissent  from  him,  for  our  Holy  Bible  and  even  every  day's 
experience  prove,  that  never  was  a  righteous  people  defeated,  when 
their   cause  was    righteous.      The   Philistines  were   enraged,   that 


ESSAV  IV.  273 

the  fugitive  David  had  been  elected  king  of  Israel,  and  they  came 
with  powerful  armies  to  dispossess  him  of  the  government  which  be 
had  rightfully  obtained :  the  Israelites  met  them  in  battle,  and  the 
Philistines  fell  by  the  edge  of  the  sword. — The  Carthagenian  Hanni- 
bal presumed  to  follow  the  aggression  of  the?  Romans,  and  to  carry 
war  and  desolation  to  the  gates  of  their  city :  his  quarrel  was  unjust, 
and  Carthage  was  humbled,  its  government  abolished,  and  the  walls 
broken  down  by  the  Romans,  whose  annihilation  had  been  meditat- 
ed.— The  Austrians  wished  to  oppress  Switzerland,  and  invaded  it 
with  a  powerful  army,  consisting  of  the  flower  of  German  chivalry  : 
but  near  Sempach  they  were  met  by  the  Swiss  peasantry,  who  over- 
threw them  and  drove  them  back  in  shame,  and  proved  thus  that  the 
righteous  cause  must  be  victorious. — And  but  lately,  when  the  Britons 
empted  to  compel  their  colonies  to  pay  obedience  to  laws  unjustly 
acted  :  the  colonists  rose  in  arms,  and,  trusting  in  the  God  of  battles, 
overcame  the  bravest  armies  which  England  ever  sent  from  her  shores, 
and  the  liberty  and  independence  of  these  United  States  were  achiev- 
ed.— There  are  many  other  examples  which  history  affords,  but  it  is 
perfectly  useless  to  prove  the  matter  any  further. — It  will  thus  be  seen, 
that  all  wars  are  not  abhorrent  to  God  ;  and  of  course  we  must  admit, 
that  they  are  a  part  of  the  economy  of  God,  and  are  a  scourge  which 
He  wields  to  punish  the  aggressor  and  the  ambitious  conqueror,  while 
they  at  the  same  time  promote  the  enlargement  of  the  oppressed,  and 
secure  the  liberties  of  an  upright  people. — But  if  my  friend  means  to 
say,  that  war  shall  one  day  cease,  ,and  that  no  more  injury  shall  in 
those  days  be  done  from  man  to  man,  I  am  compelled  to  agree  with 
him,  for  this  is  what  the  prophets  predict,  and  this  is  the  mark  by 
'which  we  are  to  distinguish  the  time  of  the  true  Messiah. — To  the 
question  of  my  friend :  "  If  God  was  not  able  to  save  the  Israelites 
without  war  ?"  I  must  answer  in  the  affirmative  ;  but  I  do  not  know 
what  advantage  can  be  gained  from  this  my  concession.  Suppose 
God  had  saved  them  without  war,  we  should  then  have  found  it  so 
recorded ;  but,  if  we  read  the  book  of  Judges,  we  shall  discover  that 
God  absolutely  commanded  Gideon  and  Barak  to  go  to  war;  of  course 
we  must  conclude,  that  although  He  could  have  saved  them  without 
war,  yet  He  preferred  to  save  them  through  their  own  agency  ;  for  as 
our  wise  men  teach  us,  God  will  always  employ  some  natural  means, 
though  the  result  effected  is  frequently  entirely  disproportionate  to  the 
end  accomplished.  For  instance  Gideon's  battle  ;  he  had  but  three 
hundred  men,  and  he  was  enabled  with  this  handful  to  overcome  a 
mighty  and  well  appointed  army. — Moses  was  commanded  to  stretch 
his  staff  over  the  Red  Sea  ;  the  waters  were  divided  as  an  effect  of 
35 


274  ESSAY  itf 

Moses's  doing  as  he  was  ordered,  and  yet  the  effect  bears  no  propor- 
tion to  the  apparent  cause.  And  the  like  will  be  found  throughout 
the  Bible  ;  and  it  follows,  therefore,  that  as  war  is  in  certain  respects 
"  a  part  of  the  divine  economy  in  the  government  of  the  world,"  as# 
it  is  now  constituted,  the  New  Testament  cannot  claim  any  supe- 
riority over  the  Mosaic  law  ;  since  to  say  that  we  shall  not  repel  an 
invading  foe  is  evidently  contrary  to  revelation,  and  if  the  New  Tes- 
tament indeed  contains  the  doctrine  contended  for  by  the  Society  of  * 
Friends,  it  speaks  contrary  to  the  divine  law,  and  cannot  be  true,  be- 
cause no  two  disagreeing  precepts  can  proceed  from  the  Source  of 
everlasting  wisdom  and  all-seeing  Providence. 

(/) — "  Can  constitute  a  valid  objection,"  &c.  I  cheerfully  subscribe 
to  this  proposition ;  but  whilst  my  friend  claims  this  indulgence  for 
his  creed,  I  claim  with  even  more  justice  the  same  for  the  religion 
which  it  is  my  happiness  to  profess.  And  if  it  even  can  be  provW 
that  the  Israelites  carried  on  unjust  wars,  I  hope  that  no  candid  man 
will  charge  our  law  as  the  cause  of  this  abomination,  seeing  that  its 
spirit,  and  even  its  letter,  are  so  diametrically  opposed  to  all  violence 
and  oppression,  as  has  been  amply  demonstrated. 

(g) — "  Cannot  be  overturned  by  all  the  wit  and  ingenuity  of  man." 
My  friend  seems  here  to  have  grown  a  little  warm,  and  he  seems  to 
have  supposed,  that  I  had  endeavoured  to  "  turn  the  laugh"  against 
his  society  in  my  last  essay.  But  this  was  not  my  intention ;  I  lay  no 
claim  to  wit,  or  a  large  share  of  ingenuity ; — my  arguments  are  all 
drawn  from  Scripture,  the  only  fair  and  legitimate  source  of  argument 
in  religious  matters.  I  will  repeat  the  confession,  that  Mr.  William*!^ 
Penn  may  have  been,  for  aught  I  know,  the  greatest  legislator  next  to 
Moses  ;  but  this  does  not  invalidate  my  assertion,  that  neither  he  nor 
any  body  else  ever  observed  the  gospel  strictly ;  and  if  they,  I  mean 
Penn  and  his  followers,  actually  did  so,  they  are  clearly  to  blame  ;  for 
it  is  one  thing  to  abstain  from  injuring  others,  and  another  thing  to 
submit  silently  to  the  injustice  of  good  or  wicked  men,  if  we  have 
lawful  means  of  redress  within  our  power.  Besides  the  example  of 
Penn  does  not  prove  that  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  is  the  spirit  of  peace, 
since  the  self-styled  holy  inquisition,  and  the  good  people  of  New 
England,  could  demonstrate  with  equal  clearness,  that  they  were 
commanded  to  torture  Jews,  hang  Quakers,  and  burn  old  and  infirm 
women,  and  this  by  the  benign  gospel  of  their  Christ,  with  which  the 
Society  of  Friends  prove  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  not  to  resist 
evil.  Add  to  this,  that  the  prophets  do  not  speak  of  peace  among  one 
sectonly,  but  through  all  the  earth :  and  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  New 
Testament  and  the  state  of  Christians,  either  individual  or  collective, 


ESSAY  IV.  275 

cannot  be  considered  as  a  fulfilment  of  the  Holy  Writ  contained  in 
the  Jewish  canon.  And  where  then,  I  ask,  can  be  the  superiority  of 
the  gospels  over  the  Pentateuch  ? 
#  (h) — "  And  no  farther."  In  this  paragraph  my  friend  and  myself 
are  perfectly  agreed,  and  as  far  as  Christianity  is  founded  upon  the 
books  proceeding  from  the  revealed  power  of  God  it  is  useful,  for  it  is 
the  duties  enjoined  in  these  books,  which  purify  the  heart,  and  if 
P  obeyed  will  make  our  condition  in  life  useful  to  all  the  world,  (for 
every  man  is  able  to  do  something  for  the  good  of  society,)  and  render 
us  fit  to  be  children  of  immortality ;  but  as  soon  as  it  exceeds  this 
limit  even  by  one  iota,  it  is  no  longer  entitled  to  respect  much  less 
obedience ;  for  no  truth  can  exist  beyond  the  words  of  revelation, 
which  revelation  is  contained  solely  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  can  be 
pearly  proven. 

W(i) — "  This  spirit  of  truth  was  to  teach,"  &c.  My  friend  says,  that 
I  have  taken  a  too  limited  view  of  the  gospel ;  I  shall  debate  this 
position,  although  I  might  shield  myself  behind  the  general  accepta- 
tion of  the  word :  my  object  only  is  to  correct  a  very  important  error 
of  my  friend  in  his  position,  which  he  has  founded  upon  passages  from 
the  New  Testament.  If  I  would,  I  could  demand  of  him,  before  I 
should  even  permit  myself  to  debate  its  doctrines,  to  prove  its  histori- 
cal accuracy ;  but  I  need  not  be  so  very  dignified,  and  I  am  even 
content  to  do  him  battle  upon  his  own  terms.  The  spirit,  or  rather 
Holy  Ghost,  so  says  John,  was  "  to  teach  his  followers  all  things.'''* 
This  is  said  by  John,  but  I  say,  that  this  has  never  happened ;  for  if 
the  spirit  were  diffused  over  the  followers  of  the  Notzry,  the  conse- 
..quence  would  be  that  they  would  all  think  alike  in  matters  of  religion 
at  least :  instead  of  which  even  the  apostles  disagreed ;  for  upon  refer- 
ring to  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  it  will  be  discovered  in  chap. 
ii.  v.  11 :  "But  when  Peter  was  come  to  Antioch,  I  withstood  him  to 
the  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed."  Thus  we  see,  that  Peter  and 
Paul  differed  in  matters  of  faith  ;  and  could  this  be  the  effect  of  the 
inward  revelation,  the  working  of  the  inward  spirit,  which  deceiveth 
not  ?  And  at  the  present  day,  one  person  is  impelled  by  the  inward 
spirit  of  grace  to  become  a  methodist,  another  a  baptist,  a  third  a  Roman 
catholic,  a  fourth  something  else,  in  short,  every  sect  of  Christians 
thinks  itself  exclusively  right,  and  as  far  as  I  was  ever  able  to  decide, 
they  all  can  find  some  warrant  for  their  opinions  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  and  if  we  then  suppose  that  the  true  gospel  is  not  the  written 
gospel,  id  est :  the  books  of  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke  and  John,  but  an 
inward  infusion  of  the  (Christian)  Holy  Ghost,  it  appears  that  the 
revelation  of  this  spirit  is  not  the  same  to  every  body,  and  I  might  with 


276  ESSAY  IV. 

equal  justice  believe  myself  inspired, ms  Matthew  and  Mark  ha^e 
done.  From  all  which  it  appears:  that  the  inward  revelatioji  pro- 
duced by  the  Christian  gospel  is  the  parent  of  discord,  and  cann<* 
therefore  be  the  revelation  from  the  Most  High,  for  He  ordered  his#^ 
prophet  to  say  :  "  And  all  thy  children  shall  be  taught  by  the  Ster- 
nal, and  much  peace  shall  be  to  thy  children,"  which  means,  that 
when  the  time  of  the  Messiah  shall  come,  all  the  Israelites  shall  be 
taught  by  inward  inspiration,  and  this  then  will  cause  all  dissension  ^P 
to  cease  because  all  shall  know  what  is  right.  Now  I  do  not  believe, 
that  any  man  can  be  hardy  enough  to  assert  that  this  is  the  case  with 
the  followers  of  the  Christ  of  the  Christians,  for  they  disagree  about 
the  interpretation  of  almost  every  passage  in  the  New  Testament. 

(k) — "  But  the  word  is  nigh  unto  thee,"  &c.  My  friend  adduces 
two  passages  from  the  Old  Testament,  and  he  mistakes  the  charactM^ 
of  both.  The  31st  chapter  of  Jeremiah  refers  to  the  revelation  cofll 
tained  in  the  Pentateuch,  as  can  be  easily  proved  ;  and  the  passage 
from  the  30th  of  Deuteronomy,  when  taken  in  connection  with  what 
precedes  and  follows,  will  also  be  found  to  refer  to  the  Mosaic  law ; 
and  Moses  meant  to  say,  that  the  Israelites  could  not  complain  of  not 
knowing  the  will  and  the  word  of  God,  for  it  had  been  but  on  that 
very  day  taught  to  them  by  the  legislator  who  spoke  these  words, 
and  it  was  therefore,  so  to  say,  within  their  mouth  and  heart.  Besides, 
it  must  be  remembered,  that  Moses  wrote  the  law  in  a  book,  and  com- 
manded the  Levites  to  teach  it  to  the  Israelites,  so  as  to  put  it  in  their 
mouth;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  Israelites  were  to  be  taught  until  the 
law  was  so  familiar  to  them  that  they  might  know  it  by  heart,  and  - 
converse  about  it  with  ease.  We  believe,  that  the  law  will  one  da£»- 
be  inscribed  on  the  hearts  of  all  mankind ;  but  we  contend  that  this  has' 
not  yet  come  to  pass.  It  matters  not  what  may  be  advanced  about  the 
beauty  of  the  gospels,  and  about  the  language  of  the  apostles :  the  fact 
is  otherwise,  for  it  appears  that  at  the  time  the  inward  revelation  will 
be  general,  evil  will  of  itself  cease  to  exist,  and  universal  knowledge 
and  universal  peace  will  go  hand  in  hand  over  the  face  of  the  reno- 
vated earth ;  and  in  the  language  of  the  85th  psalm :  "  Mercy  and 
truth  shall  then  meet  together,  and  righteousness  and  peace  shall  kiss 
each  other,  and  truth  shall  spring  out  of  the  earth,  and  righteousness 
shall  look  down  from  Heaven."  This  is  to  be  the  effect  of  God's  pour- 
ing out  his  spirit  over  all  flesh,  which  will  take  place  at  the  time  of 
the  true  Messiah. 

(I) — "  Which,  indeed,  did  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,"  &c.  I  agree 
with  my  friend  in  maintaining,  that  whoever  acts  righteously,  whether 
Jew,  Brahmin,  or  Nazarene,  is  a  child  of  eternal  salvation,  for  this 


ESSAY  IV.  277 

idea  is  founded  upon  the  universal  justice  of  God,  although  the  gos- 
pels,#chiefly  Mark  in  the  conclusion  of  his  last  chapter,  assert  that 
the  faith  in  Christianity  is  necessary  to  ensure  salvation,  although  a 
M  man  had  observed  every  precept  of  the  law;  and  this  is  also  the 
orjfnion  of  Paul.  But  having  agreed  thus  far  with  my  friend,  I  must 
dissent  from  him  in  the  use  he  makes  of  the  several  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture adduced  by  him  :  for  he  again  spiritualises,  which  ought  not  to  be 
*  done,  according  to  our  mode  of  interpretation. — It  is  true,  that  we  need 
not  look  for  any  Messiah  to  teach  us  what  to  believe  and  do  to  become 
righteous,  for  that  has  been  taught  us  in  the  Mosaic  law  ;  but  never- 
theless a  Messiah  is  predicted,  a  Messiah  is  expected,  and  this  Mes- 
siah will  come  to  fulfil  the  prophecies,  and  to  restore  the  Israelites  to 
t  their  land,  and  peace  and  harmony  throughout  the  world. 

(m) — "  That  thou  mayst  do  it."  This  is  the  passage  cited  from 
>eut.  chap.  xxx. ;  but  it  relates,  as  has  been  shown,  to  the  Mosaic 
law — the  law  written  down  by  the  command  of  the  God  of  nature — a 
law  existing  uncorrupted  and  unequalled  for  three  thousand  years  ;  it 
is  this  of  which  Moses  and  the  prophets  speak,  and  to  this  we  are  al- 
ways commanded  to  direct  our  attention.  It  is  indeed  surprising, 
how  Christians  are  obliged  to  twist  every  passage  in  Scripture  so  as 
to  avoid  the  force  of  our  arguments ;  for  it  is  impossible  to  reconcile 
the  gospel,  written  and  unwritten,  either  to  the  letter  or  the  obvious 
spirit  of  the  Bible,  and  the  consequence  is,  that  every  now  and  then 
we  see  a  new  sect  coming  into  being,  who  interpret  their  new  law 
differently  from  any  sect  which  went  before  them.  This  evident- 
|  ly  proves  no  superiority  of  the  gospels  over  the  Bible;— this  surely 
'&does  not  establish  that  the  kingdom  of  peace  is  prevalent  on  earth. 
•  On  the  other  hand,  let  the  world  look  at  us,  who  have  been  scattered 
in  every  country  of  God's  earth,  and  driven  to  slaughter  in  almost 
every  age,  whose  books  have  been  burnt,  whenever  the  adversary 
could  lay  hold  of  them— let,  I  say,  the  world  look  at  us,  who  are  yet 
united  and  one  people,  and  then  let  them  consider  if  the  finger  of  the 
Almighty  God  has  not  done  this ;  I  must,  therefore,  now  conclude  this 
volume  with  the  words  of  the  blessed  lawgiver,  the  last  words  he 
spoke  to  the  people  of  Israel,  whom  he  had  loved  so  well  and  served 
so  faithfully :  j^ 

"  Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel :  who  is  like  unfb  thee,  O  people  assist- 
ed by  the  Lord,  who  is  the  shield  of  thy  help,  and  who  is  the  sword 
of  thy  excellency  !  and  thy  enemies  shall  cower  down  before  thee, 
but  thou  shalt  tread  upon  their  high  places." 

May  everlasting  life  of  blessedness  be  the  portion  of  all  mankind, 
and  may  the  Messiah  soon  be  sent  to  redeem  the  captives  of  Israel. 
Amen  ! 


278 


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NOTICE  TO  SUBSCRIBERS. 

As  fully  three  years  have  elapsed  since  this  work  was  announced, 
the  subscribers  are  notified,  that,  if  they  do  not  wish  to  take  the 
work,  they  will  be  entirely  exonerated ;  and  those  who  are  yet  kind 
enough  to  continue  their  subscription,  are  respectfully  informed, 
that  the  non-appearance  of  the  book  was  owing  to  the  want  of  eifl 
couragement  held  out,  and  although  several  subscriptions  have  been 
received  lately,  particularly  the  very  liberal  one  of  Mr.  Abraham 
Hart,  of  the  house  of  Carey  &  Hart  of  this  city,  the  subscriptions 
will  not  meet  the  expense  of  the  publication.  The  work  would  certain- 
ly not  have  been  put  to  press  with  so  little  encouragement,  if  it  had 
not  been  announced ;  and  I  did  not  wish  it  thought  that  I  was  afraid 
of  meeting  a  small  pecuniary  loss,  where  the  object  is  a  defence  of 
our  religion. — To  this  want  of  encouragement  it  is  also  owing  that 
the  number  of  copies  printed  is  fully  one  fourth  less  than  the  edition 
printed  of  the  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Religion.  I.  L. 


*t% 


Correction. — In  page  257,  line  14,  for  latter  read  letter — in  part  of  the  edition. 


,  -  mi 


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